The latest comic book to get the ‘Deluxe Digital Graphic Novel’ treatment from developers Panel Nine is Terry Wiley’s 2008 book Verity Fair. Telling the story of wannabe starlet Verity Bourneville (aka Tracey Perkins) and her various misadventures, from working in a fish shop to trying to make it as an actress. This is much more than just a ‘slice of life‘ Brit comic as Wiley’s captures the nuances of this eclectic 40-year old expertly. Creating a character who is both wildly entertaining and poignantly tragic in equal measures which in turn makes her a heroine whose stories are endlessly readable, whatever the format.Verity Fair reads like a working class Bridget Jones or Tamara Drewe, and is one of the most fascinating female characters we have read in ages, because more than anything she doesn’t feel one dimensional, she feels real. Verity is that optimistic dreamer who we all know. The school friend who won’t give up on a dream, the workmate who is life and soul of the party but a nightmare the next day,  and the best friend who you just want to settle down and be happy. The book is quintessentially English, but not in a stuffy Jane Austen type way, rather in a plucky underdog/glass-is-half-full-when-everyone-says-its-half- empty kind of way. At first the book seems lightweight and fluffy and Verity seems like the kind of character who will instantly get on your nerves. But Wiley is a smart writer and just before Verity out stays her welcome, she reveals a vulnerable troubled side that make you want to take her in and protect her from the world.

The late night pink elephants scene is the turning point for the whole book and as Verity begins to look deeper into herself, so you discover a more troubled, vulnerable character who you can’t help but root for. Through a series of brilliantly realised flashbacks we learn more about Tracey’s troubled love life and up-and-down career. As she begins to work through some of her issues with a psychiatrist she also opens up to the reader to become a fully fledged and incredibly well rounded character.  Don’t worry, its not all doom, gloom and introspection, there are still plenty of laughs along the way, that’s the kind of person Verity is and so that’s how the book is.

Wiley’s art is brilliantly realised, mixing cartoonish excitement with serious drama via some smart layouts, especially in the flashback scenes. In a few pages he mixes photo backgrounds with the hand drawn art, which gives the book an unique feel (similar to Dan Goldman’s Red Light Properties) however for us, it doesn’t quite work and distracted from the overall tone. Fortunately it is only used sparingly and doesn’t take away from what is otherwise a real gem of a book.

Along with the first two chapters this deluxe edition features some classic Verity Fair stories from Sleaze Castle comic in the early 1990s (including Verity’s first ever appearance) which introduces us to a very different girl in terms of age, if not in attitude. And of course, as with all  Panel Nine products we also get the audio track with Wiley discussing certain pages in greater depth, which provides lots of fascinating insight into the creation of Verity’s world.

A delightfully charming and quintessentially British story that reminds you how great comics can be. Verity is one of the great female comic characters and proof that you don’t need have super powers to be a comic book heroine. The deluxe graphic novel treatment just adds to the experience.

Verity Fair will be available via the iTunes Store later this month for $4.99/£3.99. For more information visit the Panel Nine website.