Welcome to the Monkeys Fighting Robots Podcast, episode 183! This week, I reflect on Terrificon, Eddie P Con, the state of indie comics, and what’s next. Thanks for checking out the podcast; have a great week, and read more comics!
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From modern comics icon Jeff Lemire comes his first ever series published at Boom! Studios with Minor Arcana #1. Featuring Steve Wands on letters, this first issue endears readers to the protagonist with fantastic character writing, while teasing the magical yet foreboding undercurrent this story will dive into. With a compelling story and Lemire’s unmistakable visuals, Minor Arcana is off to an excellent start.
“Theresa, the daughter of a small-town “psychic” fraud, returns home to care for her ailing mother, however begrudgingly. But when Theresa discovers that there may be more to the magic than she originally believed, she’ll find herself caught up in a town that desperately needs her help…”
Writing & Plot
Jeff Lemire once again dabbles in the world of the supernatural with Minor Arcana #1. Unlike the reality-breaking horror of Gideon Falls, however, here he focuses more on the concepts of “magical gifts” through the guise of confronting a difficult childhood. Thersa’s journey to her childhood home is one of frustration and pain that feels very real. One of Jeff Lemire’s strengths as a writer has always been how human his characters are. He’s one of the best in comics at crafting characters that feel like people you’ve met, with very real – often tragic – stories. Lemire spends most of this issue introducing readers to Theresa, her ailing mother, and her history where she grew up. The hints of magic are just that – hints. Other than the very beginning and a mysterious cliffhanger at the end, we don’t get much of the underlying supernatural elements in this issue. This works out in the story’s favor though because of how invested we get in Theresa’s character. The mystery around her arcane abilities is a genuinely compelling one, with Lemire bringing his unique use of dreamlike sequences and suspense to the pages of this new story. We only get brief glimpses of Theresa’s mystical connections, but they’re so intriguing due to both Lemire’s presentation and his work in making her an easy character to empathize with. After this first issue’s cliffhanger, the wait for #2 will be a long one.
Art Direction
So much of what works in Minor Arcana #1 stems from Jeff Lemire’s unmistakable visual style. The same approach that he used in his earlier works such as Essex County and Sweet Tooth, as well as more recently in Mazebook, is used again here in Arcana and to stellar effect. Lemire’s wiry linework and distinct character designs give the comic an atmosphere that switches from naturalistic to unnerving on the fly. His representation of a small town with a corner diner feels like the sort of thing we’ve all seen dozens of times, but that familiarity works in the story’s favor. As soon as the supernatural stuff kicks off, the atmosphere becomes dreary and dreamlike – and element Lemire mastered a long time ago. Lemire’s art has always had this effect of combining genuine charm with a sort of unnatural tone. His characters and animations are wonderfully detailed, almost spiting the sort of “low fidelity” style of his work. The lettering from frequent Lemire collaborator Steve Wands perfectly matches the atmosphere of the rest of the art, perfecting the reading experience. Overall, Minor Arcana has an unsurprisingly standout visual style.
Verdict
Minor Arcana #1is yet another phenomenal debut from of the medium’s greatest talents. Jeff Lemire’s writing endears us to his cast of characters and makes us truly care for the protagonist, all while sucking us deeper into this mysterious world of the arcane she barely knows anything about herself. His visual work is both charming and unsettling, capturing an atmosphere that is unique almost entirely to Lemire’s stories. Be sure to grab this debut issue when it hits shelves on September 4th!
Absolute Power #3 continues DC’s summer event with the most interesting issue yet, featuring writing from Mark Waid, art from Dan Mora, colors from Alejandro Sánchez, and letters from Ariana Maher.
The story starts with the heroes regrouping on the island of Themyscira, having struck a deal with the Amazons after the events of last issue. Heroes and villains are both still being picked up left and right by Waller, trapped in the prison that she’s made for them. The heroes are in disarray. They’re not agreeing with each other on how to handle things, which causes even more problems as they prepare for the next attack from Waller.
WRITING
Waid goes in a few interesting directions in this issue while also playing it a little safe. The friction among the heroes is amazing. Where the last issue saw them uniting towards a common fight under the words of Nightwing, this one sees them hesitant. They’re scarred, and they’re all blaming different things for that. The drawback is that, because of this contrast, a lot of what happens this issue feels very similar to the last. The heroes all meet up and lick their wounds, planning a potential counter attack against Waller once again. The only thing saving it from an exact repeat is the difference in the conversations topics. whereas they band together in the last issue, this one sees them falling apart. They’re struggling to stay together here.
Waid captures a lot of small character moments really well. He had said that he wanted to shine some spotlight on newer characters and further integrate them into the universe with this story, and he does just that. New characters interact with old, and some of these interactions really give the newer characters heart. Waid understands how to write these smaller characters among these legends, and uses that skill to strengthen the personality of those less exposed. This issue also has a few emotional beats, and they all hit really hard. It felt like the right path for a lot of the characters involved. The character work in this issue just houses some real gems.
Hawkgirl hides out with a few other heroes and villains
ART
It’s becoming harder and harder to read a comic book with Dan Mora art and not praise it endlessly. It’s beautifully detailed from start to finish. He’s really been able to put his character design abilities to the test with this whole series, and this issue is no exception. Specifically, with these technological beings. Sure the Amazos are scary, but he brings life into the Brainiac Queen never seen before. She looks intricate and delicate, masterfully crafted. But she also looks sturdy and like nothing can cut through her. The same goes for the cybernetically enhanced Jon Kent. He’s detailed, but where the Brainiac Queen’s wiring all looks intentional, his looks messy. It’s not his choice to be this way, he wasn’t made this way, and doesn’t want to be this way. The design reflects that.
The panel layout is really strong here too. Mora does this really smart thing with the sizes of these characters. When they praise the other heroes and themselves, telling them to hope for a better tomorrow, they take up most of the panel and look larger than life. When they’re put in their place, they look small and defeated. Another point is the action. It looks so much more brutal than last issue, and way less one-sided. The heroes aren’t grasping for straws anymore. Mora draws them looking more confident that they were before, putting Waller and her teams on their back foot. It’s a really impressive thing to get across visually, but Mora gets it done with no problem.
The heroes regroup on Themyscira
COLORS
Sánchez understands how to use color in order to amplify emotion from both art and writing in such an impressive way that it becomes difficult to pick your jaw up from the floor. The emotional beats mentioned earlier? Sánchez makes those impactful in a way that makes its presence felt — like something would be missing without it. There’s an emotional moment later in the issue where the writing and art is already beautiful, but it’s truly brought to light with the color. It’s two characters clouded by darkness, light seeping in and shining on them. The light is hope, and it’s casting away the darkness. It’s not completely gone, but they’re fighting for it to be.
The issue also passes a lot of time, with Sánchez really making the passage of time here felt. We go from the night, to the morning, to the afternoon, to the sunset. While it’s bright for most of the day, there’s subtle differences in the lighting that felt intimate and careful. A lot of love and care was put into this, and the time of day along with the lighting matching the character’s moods was a really nice touch.
Big Barda argues with Nightwing
LETTERS
Maher makes a lot of character-specific choices in this issue and they all really work. Especially with Jon Kent. Without spoiling anything, he’s clearly struggling with his new robotic condition. When it’s the robotic control coming through, his speech is square and telegraphed, but reluctant. When it’s really him coming through, the bubbles and words are faint but those words carry more weight, as they’re really his. It’s a nice touch.
Failsafe and the Brainiac Queen’s speech bubbles both remain intact. They’re both cold and robotic, but later in the issue, the Brainiac Queen’s speech becomes more fluid and less robotic. Her bubbles fluctuate in shape and size, with real emotion coming through. The lettering really enhances the writing in this issue.
The Titans on the beach of Themyscira
CONCLUSION
This issue was an interesting one. It felt like a contrast of the one that came before it, while also really throwing itself into necessary characters beats and emotional moments that the story couldn’t have gone forward without. It’s maybe the most important issue so far in terms of content, and the way this team executes that is something else.
Not a single character feels left out here. Everyone has purpose. That seems like a herculean task in a story like this where you should be focusing on the heavy hitters, but everyone involved really makes it work. Everyone is important, and hopefully that’s a strong sentiment going forward.
The hit Western from DSTRLY by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso – the legendary creative team behind the seminal crime series 100 BULLETS – keeps on charging!
After the brutal murder of their step-father and the willful abduction of their mother, the
three Blood brothers set off in hot pursuit…but their way is fraught with killer bandits,
battle-scarred soldiers and female preacher that’s not at all what she appears!
In the tradition of The Searchers, The Outlaw Josie Wales and Blood Meridian comes a
brutal new western series from writer BRIAN AZZARELLO and artist EDUARDO RISSO
– the Eisner award-winning team behind the Vertigo crime classic, 100 BULLETS and
Image Comics’ MOONSHINE! For fans of YELLOWSTONE 1883, CLINT EASTWOOD, & TRUE GRIT.
Minor Arcana #1 is out today from BOOM! Studios, and Monkeys Fighting Robots had the chance to speak with cartoonist Jeff Lemire about the new series!
About the series: Theresa, the prodigal daughter of a small-town “psychic” tarot reading fraud, begrudgingly returns home to care for her ailing mother after having left home for good–or so she thought.
Arriving back in her childhood hometown seemingly untouched by time, Theresa learns that there may be more to the magic than she originally believed. And with that, she finds herself caught up in a town that desperately needs her help…
Read on for our interview with Lemire, where we discuss his move to BOOM!, his artistic process, and how ongoing series can survive in the current comics landscape.
Monkeys Fighting Robots: You’ve published a number of creator-owned works, but Minor Arcana is your first series with BOOM! Studios. What’s your thought process like when deciding where to publish a series, and why was BOOM! the right fit for Arcana?
Jeff Lemire:Minor Arcana was an idea that slowly developed as I was working on the Essex County TV show here in Canada in 2021-2022. Originally, I thought it would be a project that I wrote and someone else illustrated, but the deeper I got into researching and writing it, the more I fell in love with the characters and the world, and the more connected to it I felt. Ultimately, I decided I wanted to draw the book myself too.
As all this was happening, I also happened to reconnect with some friends over at BOOM! I’ve known Matt and Eric at BOOM! for a long time and always wanted to do something with them. So, the timing just felt right as Minor Arcana was really starting to take shape.
MFR: What has been your experience with tarot cards that led you to use them as inspiration for this series?
Lemire: The importance of tarot in Minor Arcana really came out of doing research for the book. The original spark of an idea I had was exploring the world of a small town storefront psychic. As I began to dive into that, I immediately saw how the incredible imagery, symbolism and archetypes of the tarot just fed into the kinds of stories I wanted to tell. Once I hooked into the idea that everyone in the small town represented a different story, and a different tarot archetype, the series really unlocked for me.
So, I am new to tarot and very much learning as I go, and as I work on the book, but in this case, it works for the story, because it’s all new to Theresa, our main character, as well. So she and I are learning together.
MFR: The color palette jumped out to me immediately while reading Minor Arcana. Theresa in particular is very muted compared to the other town residents (especially her mother), until she puts on her grandfather’s jacket. Typically, you might expect the main character of a series to stand out more; what were you trying to say by having Theresa almost blend in with the background?
Lemire: I wasn’t sure at first if I would color the book myself, so the color palette and painting style developed as I got deeper into the story. I knew there would be multiple “worlds” depicted in the book, and I wanted a different style and palette for each.
In terms of Theresa’s small town, day-to-day life, I wanted Theresa to be very different from her Mom, who is obviously a really flamboyant and colorful personality. So her more grounded and earthy colors are a stark contracts to Vickie’s more colorful world and the world of the psychic shop.
MFR: Theresa isn’t the friendliest character when we first meet her, and understandably so. She feels like she’s been forced back to the hometown she promised to leave behind forever. Was it a hurdle for you to introduce a protagonist who’s prickly and rude to the locals, but who you also want readers to connect and empathize with, and how did you come to marry those two things?
Lemire: My original draft had Theresa being even more abrasive and misanthropic, but I worked with Eric Harburn, my editor, to tone her down a bit. I liked the idea that our main protagonist wasn’t immediately “likeable.” I think it’s truer to life. People are complicated and often put on an outward attitude to protect themselves. And Theresa is no different. Obviously, this series is all about Theresa’s journey. And this is just the starting point for her.
MFR: The concept of returning home (sometimes reluctantly) and facing your past is a common thread connecting your works. What is it about this theme that speaks to you as a storyteller?
Lemire: Well, I am from a small town myself, so there’s always a lot of that in my work. It’s baked into who I am and my own life, I guess. And, in this case, it seemed like the perfect starting point for Theresa and the story I wanted to tell with her.
MFR: When announcing your new series, you said that you’ve felt like ongoing series are a “dying breed.” Why do you think that is, and what is the trick to keeping an ongoing series going without it getting stale?
Lemire: This book, is many ways, is a real love letter to the classic “first wave” of Vertigo comics I loved as a teenager. And they were all true ongoing titles that I could go to the comic shop and read every month. We certainly don’t see that as much anymore. It almost feels rare for a series to run for 12 or 15 issues in the current marketplace.
I think one of the keys is creating smaller, more contained stories within the larger world and story. And the tarot is a great device for that. It’s the key to let me, and Theresa, explore shorter, more contained stories within the series, while still building a larger world and mystery as well.
MFR: Minor Arcana is set to be your longest self-drawn series since Sweet Tooth. How did you approach this series after doing mostly limited series and graphic novels for the last decade? What changes did you make to your process?
Lemire: Well, I definitely knew that I wanted to do something longer form. But I also know that I’m at a very different point in my life and career than I was when I did Sweet Tooth every month. So, my intention is to draw the bulk of the series myself, but I also know that I’ll be bringing in friends and other talented artists to help along the way. The great thing about the way I’ve structured this book is that the storylines are shorter and more self-contained, so it will feel much more natural to have guest artists come in and do key issues and stories to help me juggle the workload.
MFR: Finally, what do you hope readers take away from Minor Arcana that’s different from your previous works?
Lemire: I really wanted to do a book that was about connection and community. That is the heart of this story and something I personally feel a need to explore right now. I can’t control how the book or story is received or what people take from it. All I can do is try and create something that’s important to me, and hope that it connects to the readers. I think that this book has a real chance to do that. I’m definitely going to take readers on a journey here, where we start is far from where we end, and I have twists and turns planned that, I think, will be genuinely shocking and thrilling. I’m very excited about the book and can’t wait to start putting it out there into the world.
Thanks to Jeff Lemire for taking the time to answer our questions. Pick up MINOR ARCANA #1, out today from BOOM! Studios!
SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MEN #7 hits your local comic book store on September 4th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: The battle of the Spider-Men comes to an end, but now Peter and Miles are face-to-face with the makers of the Arcadium and the people who hired them. If you think there weren’t any twists left, meet KNAIVE, a truly terrifying new addition to the Spiders’ rogues’ gallery!
The issue is by writer Greg Weisman and artist Humberto Ramos, with inks by Victor Olazaba, colors by Edgar Delgado, and letters by Joe Caramagna. The main cover is by Ramos and Delgado.
Check out our SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MEN #7 preview below:
Are you reading THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MEN? Sound off in the comments!
Hoffman and Ponticelli introduce a Dystopian New York City that blurs the lines between biotechnology and body horror.
DSTLRY, the next-generation publisher redefining creator-owned comics and collectibles, is thrilled to announce Warm Fusion, a new sci-fi horror mystery series by writer Scott Hoffman (Nostalgia, Wag, member of pop icons Scissor Sisters) and artist Alberto Ponticelli (Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Orc Island). The series will debut this November, plunging readers into a nightmarish vision of New York City as biotech corporations unleash atrocities to rival the serial killers stalking the night.
Half a century into the future, New York City has been devastated by crime, ongoing storms, residual radiation from a terrorist attack, and genetic mutations spurred by the medical innovations created in response. After a series of murders rip through the city’s brothels, an escort named Vin Young, who cosplays as the Brothers Grimm’s Snow White—and is one of the generation of deformed victims—pursues the killer, or killers, reluctantly joining forces with Jarrod Hannover, the lone cop assigned to the case. The two eventually arrive at a biotech megacorp developing a cellular metal called Warm Fusion—a pioneering technology meant to replace prosthetics limbs—and soon confront the sociopathic scientist Nicholas Fleischer, his monstrous alter-ego, Mr. Barnaby, and the hideous monster that he’s been secretly developing.
Warm Fusion combines the visceral body horror of David Cronenberg with the dystopian urban sprawl of Blade Runner, offering a chilling experience for fans of sci-fi benchmarks including Videodrome, The Thing, and RoboCop.
“Warm Fusion is a deep dive into the grotesque possibilities of biotechnology and its impact on humanity,” says writer Scott Hoffman. “Alberto Ponticelli’s art is transportive, blurring the lines between flesh, machine, and everyone caught in the gutters between. This is an evolution of the body horror classics I watched growing up, and perfect for a time when humanity is obsessed with (and achieving) provocative new levels of post-humanism.”
“Working on Warm Fusion has been an exhilarating experience,” adds artist Alberto Ponticelli. “The world Scott and I have incubated straddles horror and hope, and imagining the extremes humanity will warp itself into in the coming decades has been perverse and delightful.”
“No matter what medium Scott’s operating in, his voice is unmistakable,” says DSTLRY co-founder and CCO Chip Mosher. “He and Alberto foster a harrowing vision that we couldn’t resist.”
“Warm Fusion is the definition of provocative sci-fi; it asks the hard questions about who we are and what our technology says about us,” continued DSTLRY co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. “This book goes to places—extreme and exhilarating—you can’t possibly foresee.”
“Warm Fusion is one of those rare projects that pushes every boundary,” said DSTLRY Founding Editor Will Dennis. ”It’s been a thrill to help that vision come to life.”
Each issue of Warm Fusion is presented in DSTLRY’s perfect-bound Prestige format, featuring wraparound covers with spot gloss on robust cover stock, complemented by 48 pages of exquisite interior stock. “It’s the DSTLRY difference,” says DSTLRY CCO & Co-Founder Chip Mosher.
For more information on Warm Fusion and to keep up with DSTLRY’s upcoming releases, visit www.dstlry.co and follow DSTLRY on social media at @DSTLRY_Media.
Elaine Tipping’s PATHWAYS: CHRONICLES OF TUVANA Volume 1 is out September 4th, but thanks to Dark Horse Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive ten-page preview for you!
The trade paperback collects the first nine chapters of the hit webcomic-turned-graphic novel.
About the series: A cast of heroes from all walks of life leads the charge to stop an ancient empire bent on world domination in this Queer YA graphic novel!
An archaeological dig backed by all four countries of Tuvana is meant to shed light on the past while uniting the countries under a similar goal, despite their differences. However, the project takes a sudden dark turn after an unexpected discovery. Communications are lost, family members are missing, there are strange changes in the land and unexpected climate irregularities–all threatening to unravel the tenuous ties that have kept Tuvana at peace for so long.
A clever princess, a set of royal twins with two very different personalities, a patient guard looking after an inquisitive scholar, a powerful and mysterious loving couple, and a fun-having street brawler are all pulled slowly from their very different paths through life as they each stumble across parts of a puzzle that, once assembled, could change–or destroy–the future of their world forever.
The series is by cartoonist Elaine Tipping.
Check out our PATHWAYS: CHRONICLES OF TUVANA preview below:
Are you picking up PATHWAYS: CHRONICLES OF TUVANA when it comes out? Sound off in the comments!
From writer Pornsak Picheshote (The Good Asian, Dead Boy Detectives) and legendary artistic duo Terry & Rachel Dodson comes a sharp and sexy as hell espionage debut with The Manchurian #1. Featuring Jeff Powell on letters and design and John Ereck on color flats, this first issue is a compelling and stunning opener. With Picheshote’s clever and deeply intelligent writing alongside the Dodson’s gorgeous, seductive visual work, The Manchurian is off to a fantastic start.
“A Muslim exorcist, a reverse Indiana Jones, and more. THE HORIZON EXPERIMENT are one-shots created by comics, film, and TV superstars, providing new POVs on popular genres and acting as pilots for new series. It starts with THE MANCHURIAN, a Chinese James Bond running covert missions in America for the enemy…”
Writing & Plot
Pornsak Picheshote takes his demonstrated skill in the world of conspiracy/mystery thrillers and applies it to international espionage in The Manchurian #1. A neat mix of 007 and The Americans, this chapter establishes a type of spy setting very new to the genre – in and out of comics. Much like its influences, Manchurian is based on a very real agency – in this case China’s own espionage organization – but is made into a sort of mythology to make a story this feels grounded yet irresistibly improbable. Picheshote’s script is exciting for sure, but he’s also making sure you’re paying attention. Every page is filled with narration and dialogue, making for a denser read than many action comics. If you’re one who prefers to let the visuals and sequential direction do the storytelling, you may want to check out another comic. Luckily, Picheshote’s writing is never boring or unnecessary, and it makes the reader interface with every aspect of these characters. Keep in mind that this issue is technically still just a one-shot – a part of Image’s Horizon Experiment. Each “pilot” in the Experiment has the goal of presenting a classic genre with a twist, typically taking place from the perspective of a minority group from creators that have a unique take on specific genres. Hence, Picheshote’s distinct take on the Hollywood espionage genre. As such, it’s easy to understand why this single issue is so loaded with information and exposition. I do hope Manchurian is picked up as a full series – there’s a ton of potential in this story, and Picheshote’s script is a fun as it is compelling.
Art Direction
Few artists in the comics industry nail the smooth charm and seductiveness of Hollywood espionage like Terry and Rachel Dodson, and they work their magic once again here in The Manchurian #1. The iconic duo bring their signature visual style to Picheshote’s script and make it irresistibly stunning while also adding to the story’s compelling allure. Terry Dodson’s pencils and colors bring each character to life in a very 007 manner – meaning that each person is absurdly attractive. Beneath that exterior though, they are still also fully realized characters with distinct personalities and body language exhibited through the Dodson’s work. Terry’s sequential direction has a blockbuster film-like structure, lending an urgency to the conversational scenes and more impact to the action. The colors are rich and also cinematic, with every panel having a kind of stage-lit feel like they’re being shot on film. All of this works spectacularly for the comic because of what The Manchurian is effectively emulating. Letterer and designer Jeff Powell even brings in a Hickman-esque data sheet about Chinese espionage that makes the comic feel even more like it was taken out of a sealed folder in a locked filing cabinet. Visually, The Manchurian is a vibrant and deliciously sexy ode to spy cinema while still utilizing the comics medium to its fullest.
Verdict
The Manchurian #1 is a sharp and stunning pilot for what will hopefully become a full series. Pornsak Picheshote’s writing is dense in the world of comics, but offers an intelligence and swagger in its worldbuilding that makes it fun to read while demanding your full attention. The visuals from Terry and Rachel Dodson are sleek, sexy, and well animated, bringing this alternate 007-style story to life with brilliant flare. Be sure to grab this one-shot when it hits shelves on September 25th!
Writer James Robinson, artist Scott Kolins, and letterer Jim Campbell come together and herald an early start to the horror season with ‘Patra #1 from Dark Horse Comics,the gory origin story of the titular young ‘Patra, a little girl trying to survive, the vicious killer desperately seeking her out, and a small community shaken to its core.
This first issue kicks off as many slashers do, in a quaint little town rocked by tragedy. Yet, with a missing girl seemingly spared from the massacre, a mysterious doctor who knows a bit too much, and a glaring supernatural presence emanating from both the killer and his target, ‘Patra #1 leaves a mystery to unravel.
Writing/Story
Robinson plunges us right into the fray, as the police discover the horrid crime scene our murderer left behind. The narrative is broken into two voices and places, one being ‘Patra herself who finds herself alone in the woods, being hunted and haunted, asking herself how she got there and why. On the other side of town, the police are asking similar questions, and a stranger arrives to answer them. This man’s journal acts as the second narrative voice. While I wish some of the exposition had been discovered perhaps a bit later in the story, as some pages feel very content-heavy, it did not pull me from the story.
The split in the story does wonders for establishing both the confusion ‘Petra is feeling as she stumbles through the woods, and showing the reader the true threat and capacity for violence our antagonist has, as the police uncover the horror he has left in his wake. While ruthless and cruel, the killer is given a strong backstory, and while you certainly don’t root for him, it isn’t hard to comprehend how he became the monster he is.
Art Direction
As someone familiar with Kolins’ works, I had to make sure ‘Patra was indeed one of his creations. I’ve known his typical style as one with limited shadows and very tight line work, which leaves his art feeling very “clean.” None of that is present in ‘Patra. Yet, it works perfectly. His decision here is to go very gritty, with color that escapes the lines and pops vividly especially when portraying blood. ‘Patra and the killer are both the biggest examples of this, as they seem to be styled more brutally than the other characters, allowing them to embody the emotions they feel palpably.
The lettering from Campbell also showcases the characters well. Two specific highlights would be the inner monologue from ‘Patra, which mimics a scared child, with lots of short sentences, often filling the page with small incomplete thoughts she is having. This contrasts the secondary narrator, who is an educated, calm man, whose inner monologue and exposition fills large chunks of expository yet concise thoughts. The voices always feel clear and personal.
Verdict
‘Patra #1 is a mystery thriller to its core. It shows no fear of being very dark, yet it balances the tone well, not feeling gratuitous. ‘Patra herself has yet to do much of anything in the first issue and the villain steals the spotlight, but jeepers, I am excited to see where the next three issues take her.
