This volume was published in 1990, four years after the last volume I reviewed (#101). Nothing has changed in theme, tone or art style. The story concerns twelve year old Betty Larkin who is sent to an orphanage in 1889. Naturally it is a terrible place, but there seems to be a friendly ghost helping the children. There is some Dickensian mystery with lost deeds and missing relatives and you can work out how it will end.

The art is the same with the usual page split but this seems to have more borderless panels and diagonal divisions. The drawing is really heavy black ink with thick clunky lines but a lot of hatching and background effort. The features and costuming also convey a sense of the period.

Once again the message, typical of this genre, is that pluck and courage will win the day and there is a happy ending waiting for all the poor and downtrodden. Definitely no anti-heroes here.

Thumbs Up!