Writer/Artist: Mr.General Store
Translation: Hyun Ko
Typesetting: Kara
Primary QC: Thea Ilona
Secondary QC: Nicole Luna
Platform: Tapas
Publication Date: June 11, 2021
Rating: Teen
Genre: VSC (Korea), Fantasy, Fairy Tales
In Table Land, a witch is born when a shooting star falls to the ground. The witch is then joined by a cat that becomes their constant companion. When the witch dies their cat follows, another star falls and the cycle repeats once again. Yet when the witch Flo drowns, nothing goes as planned. A young witch Effie appears who cannot control her powers. She is joined by Flo’s old cat, Bibi, who survived her death. Effie wants a friend, but Bibi just wants Flo back. Will the two of them find their way? What secrets lie in the depths of Table Land?
Wait Where the Shooting Star Falls is a fantasy comic in the classic tradition. The words “isekai,” “otome” and “villainess” are never once uttered. Table Land is instead a fully fleshed out world: a magical realm of star-witches and their lanterns, shapeshifting cats and centuries-old myths. You’re meant to puzzle out the secrets of the world as you read. How many witches are there? Is Bibi right or wrong to expect his companion Flo may be reborn one day? Where does the religion of Soltanica, and the mysterious Golden Hawk, fit into all this?
Really though, the focus of the story is the characters and their feelings. Effie and Bibi are both coping with abandonment issues. Neither is given the “chosen” companion they expected to receive. But the friction between Effie and Bibi, for me, is what elevates the story from a sugar-sweet fantasy to something with just a bit of bite. I’ll always prefer a fairy tale where the heroes have to really work for their happy ending.
If you’re a fan of sugary sweet comics, though, don’t fret: there’s plenty for you here. Artist Mr.General Store’s illustrations are unfathomably decadent for a weekly colored vertical strip. Hair and ribbons are long and flowing in the CLAMP tradition. Effie goes through multiple outfit changes featuring poofy clothing and big floppy hats; when she cries, stars literally fall out of her eyes. The paneling, meanwhile, is reminiscent of Kamome Shirahama’s ornate work on Witch Hat Atelier.
Wait Where The Shooting Star Falls can veer towards being a little too precious sometimes. Do all the mustaches have to be so big and floofy? Do beastfolk really wear cat pajamas when coming out of the baths, or did Mr.General Store just want an excuse to draw Effie and Bibi in cat pajamas? If these details sound like a little too much for you, then you might want to ration this comic as a sweet treat for rainy days. On the other hand, if your response is “there is always a good reason to wear cat pajamas,” then you will likely adore this series.
My fear with Wait Where the Shooting Star Falls, as it is with other artistically ambitious vertical comics, is that Mr.General Store’s art might be too ambitious for the format. The series has been through a number of long hiatuses since its initial serialization in 2018. (The English release on Tapas began in 2021.) The series finally returned to publication in July after a two and a half year absence. Since I have yet to read the most recent chapters, I can’t say if the art remains similarly ambitious or if it is stripped down out of necessity. But I do know that even the most beautiful colored art released on a serialized basis is not worth the author’s poor health.
I’m happy to see Mr.General Store keeping the lantern light burning regardless. Wait Where the Shooting Star Falls is a perfect vibes comic, a festival of brilliant lights, fabrics and surfaces. The characters and their problems root the fantasy just enough that it remains relevant to our lives rather than drifting off into space. If you’re a fan of Witch Hat Atelier or past classics like Cardcaptor Sakura, you’ll find plenty to love in Table Land.
