INTERVIEW: James Parnell Makes Hulu’s PEN15 Sound Like The Early 2000s

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February 8, 2019

PEN15 is a new show on Hulu from comedy duo Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle about the life of two young women in middle school during the early 2000s and James Parnell is the Supervising Sound Editor responsible for making every pencil tap, school bell, or video game sound sooo 19 years ago.

In five short years, James Parnell’s career as a sound editor and re-recording mixer include nearly 100 different film, television, and web projects. English born and Canadian-raised, James hit the ground running since arriving in Los Angeles in 2015, working on shows like the Scream: TV Series and The Mist and films such as Gerald’s Game and the Oscar-winning Moonlight.

PopAxiom exchanged vocal sounds over the phone with James to discuss his career thus far and the challenges he faced weaving sounds into PEN15’s soundscape.

First Bell

A musician from an early age, James didn’t seek a high education involving sound at first “I was a political science student in Toronto and playing in a bunch of bands. I was recording and quickly realized I was a better engineer than I was a drummer. I took a class related to film, and it was one of those ‘Ah-ha!’ moments.”

Like any kid, James watched movies, and as his understanding of sound in film grew, he understood two significant influences “… Gary Rydstrom and Ben Burtt.”

James offers a few others who’ve left impressions “More recently, Erik Aadahl and Craig Henighan who is Oscar-nominated now for Roma.”

About PEN15

Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle didn’t only help create PEN15, but the 31-year-old comedians also star as 13-year-old versions of themselves. For James, the job entailed transporting viewers back to 2000-something “We had a big spotting session with Maya and Anne. We had creative talks about the sonic goal they wanted to achieve. And how best to stay true to the sounds of school in the early 2000s.”

Like a time-traveling fly-on-the-wall, we get a look into what those discussions were about “The creative talks we had were very specific about certain things like, how big we wanted the school hallways to sound or what kind of neighborhoods the kids lived in.

To achieve those goals “We have this giant library of sound recordings of suburban neighborhoods or high schools.”

Though taking place just under 20 years ago, times change “At the time the show takes place, certain technology didn’t exist. People still used fax machines and those big Nokia phones.

The Goal

There was a specific audio goal for PEN15 “We couldn’t make it sound like a modern high school drama. We had to make it sound more like those after-school specials or something like the old-school Degrassi.”

James shares another bit of insight about the sonic design of the Hulu series “In our talks with the creators the concept of de-tuning and pitching down the chatter and the school bell to make it seem more drab and melancholy.”

PEN15 is a comedy, but it’s also a heart-wrenching drama that hits you when you least expect it. A part of that effect is due to choices in sound “In one of the last episodes, instead of playing dialogue during a scene where you didn’t really need the words. You knew what was going on and just let the music fill in the moment and you feel for the character.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLkEpO3k514

Working With Sound

Sound is invisible which makes the artistry behind creating it even more mysterious and hard to grasp “Oh, so you make the music in the film? No, that’s the composer. Oh, so you make the sound effects? Well, I mix the sound effects and the dialogue.”

For the average moviegoer, it’s a struggle to understand the parts of the whole. The finished project looks so seamless. But James explains a bit more about his slice of the entertainment pie “I was the Supervising Sound Editor on the show which meant that I had a sound editing team; a dialogue editor, sound effects editor, etc.”

For James’ team to work there’s more required from more people “It’s always a struggle to deal with the raw materials and get them in-line perfectly. You’re recording on set with generators and lights. So many things that can throw off the process.”

As mentioned before, James’ career is only five years old, and he’s nearing working on his 100th project “I’m relatively new in the industry but I’ve seen big productions and small ones, and it’s incredible how many people it takes. You really appreciate the amount of work that goes into each project.”

Wrapping Up

Pen15 is wrapped and ready for Hulu subscribers to enjoy. So, what’s next for James? “I’m working on a William Shatner movie called Senior Moment.”

James is boldly going into another great project.

PEN15 starts February 8th, 2019 on Hulu
with all ten episodes available immediately.

Thanks to James Parnell and Impact24 Public Relations
for making this interview possible.

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DC Comics Exclusive Preview TITANS #34

By

Matthew Sardo

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February 8, 2019

Titans #34 hits your local comic book store on February 13, but thanks to DC Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you.

About the issue:
“INTO THE BLEED” part two! The Titans are trapped on the perilous Unearth, far from home and standing in the face of not one but two evil armies. But hey, no sweat, right? Then, things take a turn for the worse when the commander of the opposition turns out to be one of their own, and the Titans will need to make some hard choices on the path to victory. Plus, what is Mother Blood’s connection to the Totality?

Titans #34 is written by Dan Abnett, with art by Bruno Redondo, Marcelo Maidlo worked on colors, and letters are by Dave Sharpe. Mico Suayan and Blono worked on the cover, and the variant cover is by Tyler Kirkham and Arif Prianto.

Check out the preview below:

Do you have Titans on your pull list, what do you think of Abnett’s writing? Comment below with your thoughts.

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[Review] Batman and The Flash Deal With Mutual Trauma in BATMAN #64

By

David DeCorte

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How do heroes keep moving when they can’t protect those closest to them? How do you reassure people things will be okay when you don’t know for certain they will? Batman #64 sees the Caped Crusader grapple with these questions, and the trauma they drag up.

Batman is consumed by guilt as the trail of clues runs cold at Sanctuary (see the Heroes in Crisis event). The Justice League’s strenuous schedule wears on him as he endures symptoms of PTSD. A surprise attack on the Flash Museum, though, brings Bruce and Barry Allen into conflict with a former ally.

The Writing

You may want to catch up on your DC titles to get the most out of this book. Batman #64 kicks off The Price, a four-issue crossover event with The Flash, and is also a Heroes in Crisis tie-in, taking place before the Knightmares storyline starts with Batman #61. This is a bit awkward from a narrative standpoint, interrupting the flow of the existing arc. Writer Joshua Williamson provides enough context clues to follow along, though, and does manage to tie the story to an earlier thread in King’s run.

Williamson does an excellent job portraying the trauma and stress the character endures. Batman is beginning to suffer hallucinations, which Alfred writes off as sleep deprivation. Right from the first page, though, it’s clear the investigation at Sanctuary is affecting him. As Wonder Woman suggests, there’s more going on with Bruce’s mental state than fatigue.

While some Justice League members crack jokes during their mission, Batman—and The Flash, for that matter—have little time for it. The contrast in mood underscores the toll their investigation is taking on the characters’ mental health.

The only minor sticking point is that Bruce’s explanation for how he knew about the museum attack is a little vague on the details. Overall, though, the storytelling in Batman #64 is excellent stuff.

The Artwork

The quality of the illustrations provided by Guillem March is superb from a technical standpoint. He fills the book with dynamic action shots, giving each page a tangible, kinetic sense.

But, while the ink work is well-done, the frantic, relentless action sequences tends to make things feel chaotic. Panels throughout Batman #64 feel randomly placed, contributing to the choppy, hard-to-follow vibe. He allows key pages to slow down, using hashed lining to underscore the emotional weight of characters’ expressions. But the mostly-frantic pacing can be overwhelming.

Colorist Tomeu Morey’s carefully-detailed work shines in this issue. He manages to keep pace with the intense action without losing sight of shading, contrasts, and other fine points, like the way he manages to capture subtle reflections of light on surfaces.

Final Thoughts

Given it’s a tie-in, your feelings on Heroes in Crisis may influence how you read Batman #64. It’s a strong chapter in the story, though save for the last two pages, probably not essential if you’re not following HiC.

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Review: YOUNG JUSTICE #2 Puts the Spotlight on Wonder Girl

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

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Young Justice finds themselves on Gemworld!

Young Justice is back! An average day in Metropolis goes awry when Gemworld invaded the city. Unfortunately for the invaders, they appear in the vicinity of teenage superheroes. Tim Drake, known as Robin, and Cassie Sandsmark, known as Wonder Girl, are the first on the scene. They quickly dispatch a few before more teenage heroes join the fray. Some are old fan favorites like Bart Allen, and some are new faces like Teen Lantern. Just when the young heroes begin to overtake the invaders, everyone gets pulled into portals leading to Gemworld. Will our team fall before it has a chance to rise?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

The young heroes find themselves scattered across Gemworld. While Tim meets up with Amethyst to fight Opal’s forces, Wonder Girl introduces herself to our new heroines. Before we can see that conversation, however, we flashback to what Wonder Girl has been up to. Despite single-handedly taking down Despero, the public doesn’t know who she is. While Cassie doesn’t much care, she notices an older man in the crowd. She follows him, where he reveals himself as her grandfather, Zeus. He reveals himself to offer Cassie a necklace that will empower her bracelets and lasso.

Most of this story is to fill in what Cassie has been up to since we last saw her. She has been doing the normal superhero routine, but no one is giving her credit as she doesn’t stand out. To which I am going to call bull. Some of the people in the crowd call her other names like Zatanna. She has bracelets and a lasso! There’s only one major superhero that has that! I know this is supposed to be played off as humor, as expected with a Young Justice, but it’s humor that doesn’t land.

Humor aside, this issue also fails to push the plot forward. Sure, we have the members of the team finding each other on Gemworld, but that’s it. We barely get that thanks to the extended flashback. If the first issue was a messy step forward, this one was a messy step back.

Art:

Patrick Gleason’s art in the present story continues to be great. I love his designs for the characters; it matches the tone of the story. The illustrations in the flashback are done by Emanuela Lupacchino, which always is impressive. The battle between Wonder Girl and Despero is just a colorful epic piece. I love the look of Young Justice; it just needs to get its story together.

Conclusion:

This entire issue could have been a single page. I understand that Wonder Girl has it been in the spotlight for a while, but this opening arc has to give the team the spotlight. While it is a pretty book to be sure, I am not a fan with the direction of its story. It’s still very early in the series to judge, but Young Justice needs to shape up.

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The Girl in The Bay Official Comics Trailer

By

Matthew Sardo

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February 7, 2019

New from Karen Berger’s #BergerBooks line at Dark Horse Comics, by creators J.M. DeMatteis and Corin Howell, comes a surreal, mysterious new series: GIRL IN THE BAY. Details here: https://www.darkhorse.com/Search/girl+in+the+bay

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Writer David F. Walker Starting Solid Comix

By

Kevin Sharp

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February 7, 2019

David F. Walker will be starting his own comic book company, Solid Comix, the writer announced via Facebook.

The debut series from Solid Comix is a five-issue wrestling mini One Fall, by Walker, artist Brett Weldele, and fellow writer Ted Pirro. It’s currently scheduled for a spring release. Following that is the graphic novel The Hated by Walker and artist Sean Damien Hill.

Here are excerpts from the announcement:

As a comic book writer I have been fortunate enough to work for such incredible publishers as DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, Boom, Dynamite, and Lion Forge. I’ve also had the opportunity to write some of my favorite characters and work with some of the best artists in the business. Now it is time to embark on a new adventure…Solid Comix.

Solid Comix is a small publishing company I’ve started to create and release projects near and dear to my heart – limited series and original graphic novels written and co-created by me, and drawn by a host of talented artists. I’m still working with other publishers, and have several major projects coming out over the next several years. But there are also projects that I want to do, which for a variety of reasons simply make more sense to publish myself.

For those of you that don’t know, my writing career began in 1996 with the self-published ‘zine BadAzz MoFo. Not only were did BadAzz MoFo contain my first published comic book stories; it was also my introduction to the comic industry. Every great professional opportunity I’ve had sprang from the work I did as a self-publisher. And that’s why I’m getting back to my self-publishing roots with Solid Comix.

Walker is the current writer on DC’s Naomi with Brian Michael Bendis and Jamal Campbell; Lion Forge’s Superb with Nilah Magruder; and his creator-owned book Bitter Root with Sanford Greene at Image. As he states above, these series will apparently be continuing even as he gets Solid Comix up and running.

Are you interested in seeing what this new label has to offer? Leave us a comment!

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INTERVIEW: Catherine Ashton Put Clothes On Terror In THE PRODIGY

By

Ruben Diaz

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February 7, 2019

Orange is the New Black star Taylor Schilling is Sarah, the mother of a possibly possessed or possibly just psychotically crazy pre-teen, Miles (Jackson Robert Scott) in the horror film The Prodigy and putting clothes on the fear is costume designer Catherine Ashton.

Catherine is an industry vet with films and television projects such as the recent Flatliners reboot and the CW’s Beauty and the Beast TV show under her belt. 2019 is a busy year for Catherine whose work will appear in a TV series and two films, including The Prodigy which comes out on Friday (February 8th, 2019).

Below is PopAxiom’s interview with Catherine Ashton where we talk about Catherine’s career and how to make an adorable kid terrifying.

First Stitches

Though not yet scientifically verified, creating clothing is in Catherine’s DNA “My mother was an incredible seamstress. I would watch her build clothing. Every year she would go to a big Gala, and she would start in October building a gown from scratch.”

A young Catherine was like a nice version of Sid from Toy Story “I would watch my mother and translate what she did to my poor Barbies. I would take the scraps and put them together myself.”

The love-affair with clothing carried her through life where in school, “… we’d play newscasters, and I’d report on fashion,” and continued on into college where Catherine studied “… journalism to report on fashion.”

A fan of films, Catherine learned of an opportunity and made the most of it “… A new video company was opening up in Canada … someone asked me ‘What can you do?’ and I said ‘hair, makeup, and wardrobe!’”

For Catherine’s costume designing career “That’s where it started. I kept going and haven’t looked back.”

About The Prodigy

One of Catherine’s early projects was a show called Vid Kids, flash-forward 34 years later and she’s working with kids again only this time it’s a whole different kind of thing “The Prodigy isn’t really a bloody horror film, it’s more psychological.”

Of the genre, Catherine says “I love psychological thrillers,” and continues to tells us about her experience of working on The Prodigy, “… I read the script I wanted to work on the film. I could feel The Omen in it. When I met Nicholas [McCarthy, director] … we had the same sense about how the movie should play out.”

The bottom line of every project is the same “It’s all about the character and clothing and having that be a thread for who that person is.”

There’s a creative vision, and then there’s the reality of a given day and time which poses challenges “We were shooting in Toronto … in February, but all the stores were showing summer clothes. We were chasing the last trucks leaving with the winter clothes. Tracking clothes throughout the outlets.”

Making Miles

The Prodigy stars Jackson Robert Scott as Miles the titular “prodigy,” a super-smart young boy who may or may not be evil “I wanted Jack to appear very innocent. I love those little onesies that kids wear. Jack was a little bit above that age.”

Being out of the age range is just part of the costume designing game “… I found a onesie I wanted to so bad, but it wasn’t in his size, so we ended up buying a few and building a new one for him out of the fabric.”

In the trailer, Jack wears a skeleton outfit with facepaint that’s already iconic even before the movie’s release “The skeleton outfit is an actual Halloween costume. We had a short prep time, so we didn’t have time to build it. I scoured the Internet to find the right one. But Jack was in-between sizes, and it needed some work.”

Catherine’s final word on The Prodigy “It was an amazing collaboration. I kept wanting to bring more and more to the table. It was a great ride. It’s a great film.”

Accessories

Catherine’s career is marked by films and television series across all genres. Is there a type of project she finds more or less challenging? “It’s any genre to me. It’s all about building the character. I love period. I love contemporary. There are challenges to both. It’s exciting to me because it’s about the character.”

Shifting the conversation to influences and inspiration, Catherine shares a show that fuels her to this day “I was always really influenced by fashion as a whole. As a child, I would watch the Carol Burnett Show and all the characters. I’m a strong character designer, and that’s where it comes from.”

On the cinematic side of things “… Peter Sellers’ The Party. The characters were in such fabulous costumes.”

As for a contemporary, she admires “… the Game of Thrones designer, Michele Clapton.”

But Catherine admits she could likely write a long list of great working creatives “I’m a television and film junkie so when I fall in love with a show I love everyone on that show.”

The admitted junkie adds “When I’m not working I am watching everything. And I do it to learn. You know, my husband is a lighting director. So, we will sit down and binge TV series, and we’ll watch movies. It’s always this conversation and a learning experience. There’s so much wonderful work out there.”

Wrapping Up

The Prodigy is soon to terrify moviegoers all over. So, for Catherine, what’s next? “I designed a series called In The Dark. It’s out on CW in March. Another feature I worked on called Life In A Year will be released this year.”

The Prodigy hits theaters on Friday, February 8th, 2019.

Thanks to Catherine Ashton and Impact24 PR for making this interview possible.

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Review: THE IMMORTAL HULK #13 – A Gamma-Filled Fight in Hell

By

Corey Patterson

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Al Ewing has been crafting a truly haunting horror series with THE IMMORTAL HULK comic line. We’ve seen the fantastically written journey of Gamma Flight and the mysterious Shadow Base as they track down Hulk into New Mexico, eventually being whisked off to Hell through a gamma-powered portal. The latest installment, THE IMMORTAL HULK #13, brings this horrific excursion in Hell to a close in classic Hulk fashion.

Story

After losing his gamma and becoming separated from Bruce Banner, the Hulk is on a vengeful quest to fight his way out of Hell and punish the one responsible for everyone’s pain. And as we learned in previous issues the head honcho of Hell is none other than Banner’s deceased father.

This issue is all about the idea of judgement; it asks the reader to examine their own philosophical underpinnings of anger. Through the issue A disembodied voice of unknown origin poses questions regarding Banner’s, and by extension the reader’s, inner “Hulk.” Thus, we’re forced to grapple with the hidden rage inside us.

After taking the reader on a deep dive into the heart of anger itself, we see the story take a turn for the mystical. We’re asked to grapple with the nature of forces beyond humanity’s control. And it’s none other than Puck who offers these thoughts in a conversation with Crusher Creel, a.k.a. The Absorbing Man.

Ewing wraps up this story arc with all the best qualities of the Hulk: action, fear and most of all, horror. This version of the Hulk isn’t your classic hero or an anti-hero with “attitude.” Instead, Ewing’s Hulk serves as an archetypal agent of judgement, unleashing his wrath against those who use their anger to inflict pain.

Art

Joe Bennett and Alex Ross use their artistic talents to give this horror story the perfect visual representation.

The cover art Ross puts together gives readers a good idea of the story to come. Positioning Banner in the center with the Hulk surrounding him shows how much control the Hulk has acquired. Pastel green lines of gamma radiation shoot through Banner to highlight the return of the Hulk’s true power.

With Bennett handling the story art, readers get to experience a hellish landscape full of gamma-filled Hulk-like creatures. The reader becomes immersed in the Hulk’s rage as he fights a horde of horrific monsters controlled by Banner’s father.

Conclusion

This conclusion to the character’s stint in Hell was exceptional. Seeing the Hulk get his gamma powers back, especially with the help of a dynamic character like Creel, makes for an exhilarating story.

How are you liking Ewing’s horror writing? Let us know in the comments below!

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Review: Gun Slinging Excellence In GUNHAWKS #1

By

Darryll Robson

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Welcome to Clearwater, Arizona and a Marvel Comics one shot: Gunhawks.

This is one of the many comics that Marvel are publishing to celebrate their 80^th year and the rich history of comics under their belt. Gunhawks is a return to the Western comic and the violence that the genre brings. Westerns fall in and out of favour but often rear their head with new takes and new insights. The themes and styles of a western are often adapted to fit into other genres, it wasn’t too long ago that there was a Sci-Fi/western boom spurred on by the growing popularity of the fan favourite T.V. show Firefly.

Gunhawks, however, is a return to the traditional format with hardened men and women struggling to survive in a harsh environment. Put on an Ennio Morricone album for atmosphere and open up the pages of Gunhawks.

Gunhawks #1 art — Gunhawks #1 Credit: Marvel Comics

Story/Writing

Gunhawks opens with a shoot-out and the, as yet unknown, problems that plague the central character of this wild west tale. Writers David and Maria Lapham introduce the reader to Dean ‘The Deadman’ Donnelly in a baptism of fire. This western trope is a perfect way to portray the main characteristics of the central figure while also setting up the main story.

Dean is shown to be patient and friendly but it doesn’t take much provocation to make him reach for his guns. This aspect of his character forms the backbone of the story as the ensuing violence is merely a way for the writers to analyse the central character, and by association the heroes of westerns as a whole.

Dean is the epitome of the western hero. He is a gunslinger turned lawman, carving out a new life for himself away from his past indiscretions. This tale reminds readers that history always has a way of catching up with us and it is how we deal with this that marks out our character. Gunhawks pays homage to the western genre but doesn’t shy away from the problematic issues surrounding the glorification of violence. There is a price to pay; a point this comic makes wonderfully.

Gunhawks art — Gunhawks #1 Credit: Marvel Comics

Art

If you were to capture the aesthetic of a Sergio Leone film in a comic book format it would probably look like Luca Pizzari’s work on Gunhawks. The opening gun fight has 1960’s spaghetti western influences written all over it. The physical tension and nervousness before the shoot-out is superbly illustrated in a few widescreen panels creating a truly Western feel in less than half a page of art.

From this point onwards, the art is exactly as you would hope it to be. There is an orange and yellow haze to each of the pages provided by Neeraj Menon and Rachelle Rosenberg’s colors. You can almost feel the rough grit against your skin and the unrelenting glare of the sun in your eyes. The atmosphere that the colors create is harsh and hard wearing.

Over the top are Pizzari’s expressive inks and complex shadows. Pizzari fills the panels of Gunhawks with foreboding and uses establishing shots to create tension. Imagery is used to exacerbate the dread, for example the skull shaped out crop overlooking Deans homestead or the circling carrion birds. Every time that Dean is drawn with a gun in his hand you fear that he is going to use it.

Some of the lettering is not up to the same standard as the rest of the comic and elements of the speech balloons impose on the art in some of the panels. Travis Lanham uses the space inside the balloons smartly; evenly spacing the dialogue. Unfortunately, some of the layouts force one or two of the panels to be crowded by the balloons. This however does not mar the overall reading experience and there is more to be impressed with than to distract the reader.

Conclusion

Gunhawks is an old school western at its very best. The influences are obvious but they enhance the story telling not over shadow it. There is a moment where the hero strikes a passing resemblance to Clint Eastwood but this is just one of many visual references to the genre that makes Gunhawks feel authentic from start to finish.

There have been a few western style comics over recent years’ worth picking up; ones that have been purely western and not mixed genre. Rebels from Dark Horse Comics and Loveless from DC-Vertigo are two worthwhile examples. This issue of Gunhawks is another. As a single, one off story, this is a satisfying read which incorporates everything you could want from a traditional Western comic. In a lot of respects, it’s actually a shame this isn’t the start of a new series. The artwork and narrative structure is impressive and appealing, and there is a gap in the market for a pure western comic.

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Review: Fantasy In The Big City In OBERON #1

By

Darryll Robson

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AfterShock Comics continue to broaden their range of comics with Sci-Fi, Adventure, and fantasy titles, like their new fairy tale-esq story Oberon. Following in the footsteps of franchise favourites like Labyrinth and The Sandman, Oberon blends classic fantasy elements with modern characters and settings. The creators have chosen a famous character as their central protagonist which instantly brings a number of comparisons. But have they managed to break away from their contemporaries or are they stuck in the shadows of great masters like William Shakespeare?

The Story/Writing

The adventure begins with the tale of a guard watching over The Light of the Always, protecting the fantasy realm from an unseen evil; The Nevermen. The story then quickly shifts to modern day San Francisco where the reader is introduced the smart, but socially oblivious, Bonnie. The youngest in a family of four, Bonnie’s life is about to take an extraordinary turn thanks to the heroic entrance of Oberon, a larger than life fantasy prince.

Writer Ryan Parrott adopts a tried and tested approach to his fantasy story involving the king of the fairies. He introduces the Fairy world through the concept of a myth before giving the reader a grounded, identifiable character surrounded with all the trappings of the modern world. The reader is given a taster of a mystery before living a day in the life of Bonnie.

This allows the reader to be easily led into the fantasy elements of the comic so that any culture shock can be controlled by the creators. This is an approach used by some of the greatest writers, including William Shakespeare and Alan Moore. It is also an approach used by some of the greatest family films ever made: Labyrinth and The NeverEnding Story to name just two.

Parrott centralises the narrative around the character of Bonnie. He sets out her own understanding of her life then forces her to question everything. This instantly creates an intriguing character development which unfolds from page to page, progressing naturally in front of the reader. It also acts as the hook to draw the reader into this familiar yet new world.

Bonnie is a well-rounded character that Parrott gives an amazing voice to. She is smart, funny but also has a vulnerable side which is instantly identifiable. The other characters in the tale don’t have this roundness to them, even the titular character is lacking something. He has a strong physical presence but his character is a little underwhelming at this early stage.

The Art

The artwork in contrast to some of the characters in Oberon has outstanding presence. Milos Slavkovic gives the visuals a theatrical flair befitting the myth status of the story. The opening sequence looks as if it has been edited directly out of the movie Labyrinth, and that is meant as a compliment. Flowing from one panel into the next, the characters fill up the scenes with emotion and wonder.

Slavkovic draws impressively expressive figures who perform their role like the greatest modern Shakespearian actors. Each page of Oberon has a staged sensibility which adds to the overall theme of the narrative. The design work on the panel boarders also adds to the theatrics, easily separating the ‘real’ world from the fantasy realm in a way that is both functional and decorative. It is in these details that the magic of this comic shines through.

Conclusion

In co-operation with the letterer, Charles Pritchett, the creators of Oberon have crafted an expressive and intriguing world full of wonder. The design on the panels and the speech balloons create the other worldly feel that is ever present, even in the modern cityscapes. When the magical meets the regular the contrast is reflected first by Pritchett’s lettering choices.

It is too easy to make comparisons between this and the more famous depictions of Oberon. However, AfterShock Comics newest interpretation has concentrated on creating a mystery surrounding the titular character while giving readers a new take on DCs Tim Hunter from The Books of Magic with the character of Bonnie.

A lot of the broad content from this comic is treading old ground but the tale is in the telling and Parrott, Slavkovic and Pritchett have woven a wonderful and intriguing tale of childhood adventure.

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