"Space Battle Lunchtime is incredibly charming and fun! It's an exciting peek at a well-developed cast of characters and an exciting, upbeat Space Bake-Off. I can't wait to read more!" - Carey Pietsch (Lumberjanes, Adventure Time: Marceline Gone Adrift)
KIRKUS -- An Earth patissiere is beamed up to an intergalactic cooking competition reminiscent of Iron Chef. With oversized glasses, light skin, and a hairstyle reminiscent of Lucy's from “Peanuts,” Peony spends her days whipping up culinary delights at the bakery where she works. However, one fateful day, she is visited by a bespectacled frog who invites her to participate in a competition to find ""the greatest chef in the galaxy."" Suddenly, Peony finds herself on Space Battle Lunchtime, a televised show staged in an out-of-this-world kitchen with alien ingredients (literally) and odd appliances unlike anything she's ever seen. Undaunted by her exotic surroundings, Peony finds that her relentless optimism and cooking know-how help her persevere and woo the extraterrestrial judges. Threatened by her success, her ET opponents are not above sabotage, and Peony soon discovers the lengths some of them would go to ensure she does not win. Will Peony survive, or is this just the way her cookie crumbles? Riess' series opener is highly imaginative and enjoyable, with strong worldbuilding working joyfully alongside bright and humorous illustrations. An odd yet well-spun mixture of food fiction and space tales, with a dash of pop culture, this unusual charmer defies genre conventions and seems to revel in its own sheer individuality and campy wonder. Delicious fun that's out of this world. (Graphic science fiction. 7-14)
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY -- Peony knows her way around a kitchen, especially where baked goods are concerned, but her experience might not be enough to help her when she's conscripted to participate in an extraterrestrial reality TV show, Space Battle Lunchtime. Now, she's making friends and whipping up desserts with foods she's never encountered (and machines she can't even turn on), but enemies are conspiring against her with deadly plans. Riess, creator of the Snarlbear webcomic, makes a highly promising print debut with a comic that will delight SF diehards and cooking show devotees alike. It has all the hallmarks of reality cooking competitions ("Time may be an illusion, but yours is up," announces Zorp, the floating polyhedron that hosts the show) while balancing laughs, quirky characters, and plot developments, including a potential romance with one of Peony's competitors, Neptunia. Riess uses a vivid palette to emphasize the unfamiliarity of the alien environment Peony finds herself in, keeping readers as off-balance as she is. Part Top Chef, part Doctor Who, it's a thoroughly entertaining start to this space drama, and the dire cliffhanger ending will have readers eagerly awaiting volume two.
"Natalie has really outdone herself here. Space Battle Lunch Time is absolutely, 100% my favorite comic about space baking." - Ethan Kocak (Black Mudpuppy)
"Natalie Riess delivers a comic that lives up to its exciting name, Space Battle Lunchtime! With gorgeous layouts, unique character designs and an intriguing premise, I am excited to read the next installment and find out who will be the toughest cookie in this tasty new series!" - Sarah Graley (Rick and Morty: Lil' Poopy Superstar)
“Chefs have to think on their feet and react quickly, especially when they're in competition-ESPECIALLY when that competition is in SPACE! With fun characters and delicious dishes, this space adventure fits right in to the young chef's menu.” - “Chefs have to think on their feet and react quickly, especially when they're in competition-ESPECIALLY when that competition is in SPACE! With fun characters and delicious dishes, this space adventure fits right in to the young chef's menu.” - Lucy Knisley (Relish: My Life in the Kitchen)
Natalie Riess is from a distant, unknown star. Her motives are unknown, but she seems to enjoy drawing food and making comics. She lives in Texas with her girlfriend and her girlfriend's cat.
