The Care Bears, those Nelvana-created cartoon characters who embrace soft cuddly ideals, are back. Unlock The Magic, from IDW, is a collection of Care Bears issues 1-3.

This trade collection is written by Matthew Erman and Nadia Shammas, with art by Agnes Garbowska and colours by Silvana Brys.

The setup for this story is that Grumpy is, well, grumpy. He wants a day off. However, the Care Bears have received a call. The Whiffles, those adorable little creatures who shine the Glass Glaciers, are having a bad day! When the Care Bears arrive at the Glaciers, things are worse than they expected; Bluster and Robbie, the two bad creatures, are messing around, spreading doubts and fear!

It’s a lengthy adventure, with lots of cute moments for younger readers (or listeners) to think about. The Care Bears have to help the Whiffles against Bluster, Robbie, and The Bad Crowd. That will require them all to put their differences aside and work together.

Good artwork and vibrant colour from Garbowska and Brys, this one takes the reader for a long journey, suitable for several bedtime reads.

IDW, Care Bears Unlock The Magic TPB, $9.99 for 76 pages, All Ages

By Alan Spinney

After a career of graphic design, art direction and copywriting, I still have a passion for words and pictures. I love it when a comic book comes together; the story is tight, and the drawings lead me forward. Art with words... the toughest storytelling technique to get right. Was this comic book worth your money? Let's see!!