LAST WITCH #1, available now from Boom! Box is the first issue in a brand new series. One that feels like a fairy tale of old, as Saoirse starts an adventure that she will very likely find a very different ending for.
Last Witch #1 is a bright and bold introduction to a brand new series. One that feels eerily familiar in many ways. If you’ve ever read a fractured fairy tale, then the odds are good that you know exactly what feeling the Last Witch sets out to elicit.
Conor McCreery (Writer), V.V. Glass (artist), Natalia Nesterenko (colors), and Jim Campbell (letters) teamed up to bring this imaginative world to life, and it truly does strike upon the desired notes. Right from the first page, there’s this sense of magic about to descend.
The series begins with young Saorise, a determined girl who wants to go off on an adventure. Boy, is she about to get that wish. She’s always been told to never enter the woods during this time of the year – for that is when the witch seeks her prey. As you might have guessed by now, the witch’s prey is children. Naturally, we all know that Saorise is about to disobey that order. Yet that is only the beginning of this strange new tale.
The Writing
Last Witch #1 is a tale that immediately sucks the reader into the narrative. Saorise is every bit a typical child. She’s stubborn and driven and feels chafed by all the rules that her elders set upon her. Feel familiar?
It’s the perfect setting for the rest of the tale to leap from. McCreery weaves in classic narrative elements, many of which are common to fairy tales and folklore, while also portraying a new journey in the process.
In many ways, the first issue reads with a strong sense of inevitability. We all know that Saorise is going to disobey the rules. We all know that she’s going to put herself (and potentially others) in danger. What we don’t know is how long it will take before the tide turns. Or how badly things will go once they do.
The fact that Last Witch is already proving to be compelling despite these known factors is impressive. It’s making creative use of our expectations and assumptions (thanks to years of reading tales with similar tones), and I, for one, can’t wait to see where it’ll take us next.
Another impressive feat for this first issue would have to be the characters themselves. We’ve only been reading about them for a little less than forty pages, yet they already feel real. They feel human, and thus their endangerment or loss also feels real.
The Art
The artwork is one of the many elements that make Last Witch #1 shine so. The colors are bright as the snow portrayed upon the pages. Which, combined with the bolder designs and shapes, makes for a captivating scene.
Saorise’s design steals the show on many occasions. Her vibrant hair and cloak are certainly meant to do exactly that. Yet, it isn’t the only feature worth talking about. The artwork carried with narrative elements as well, some of which would never have worked in any other format.
Take that sense of foreshadowing, which appeared simply by one repeating word. Followed by the horror that comes with its sudden absence. It was wonderfully done and helped to enhance that entire series of events.
Conclusion
Last Witch #1 introduces a series worth checking out – especially for any fan that loves a good retelling. With a few twists, that is. The combination of familiar and new will leave readers enjoying this series; that much is already quite clear.
