Andy Hirsch Takes Squabbling Siblings To The Old West In ‘Varmints’ [Exclusive]

The Old West probably wasn't a great place to be a kid, but that's never stopped it seeming like the perfect place for kids to have adventures. That's certainly part of the appeal of Andy Hirsch's upcoming middle-grade graphic novel Varmints, from First Second. Originally created as a webcomic, Varmints sees the bickering brother-and-sister team of Opie and Ned using all their wits to take on a crime kingpin in an effort to avenge their Ma.

The other part of the appeal, of course, is Hirsch himself, a cartoonist with a great sense of fun, and charm to spare. That's clear enough from the cover, provided exclusively to ComicsAlliance by First Second, but you can also check out a few sample pages from the book, which debuts September 27.

And here's the official description, courtesy of First Second:

Opie and Ned are adrift in the old west, searching for the man who shot their Ma. These two youngsters only have each other, but with all their squabbling it's a miracle they still have that.

When they get wind of the mysterious Pa ("crime kingpin of the West!"), Opie and Ned suddenly have something new: a mission. But tracking down the elusive (and deadly) Pa is going to take all the wiles these two kids have, and some new friends to boot.
Clever, explosive, and deeply moving by turns, Varmints is a perfect middle-grade comedy. Hirsch brings an old-school Western style to bear on a story full of nuance, humor, and surprises.

If youre a fan of Hirsch's work, you'll also want to get excited for his upcoming collaboration with Roger Langridge, The Baker Street Peculiars, offering a new spin on Sherlock Holmes.