Reviews: A Mermaid, Ashley Wood & A Shirtless Ben Franklin…REAL ONES
Parallel to how television viewing has shifted from eagerly awaiting weekly episodes to bingeing whole seasons (or multiple seasons!) in one concentrated burst, my comic consumption has evolved away from monthly issues towards collected volumes and trade paperbacks. I just prefer the deeper immersion in the worlds, characters, and story arcs. So the premise of this column, reviewing first issues of new monthly series, is opposite my current preference and habits. However, it’s been really fun to re-engage with the brief tease of some new series “pilot episodes” and evaluate whether their initial hook is intriguing enough to return for the second issue. Let’s dive into this week’s new reads.
The Last Mermaid
Derek Kirk Kim
Image Comics
This glossy, square format debut immediately reveals our titular mermaid mid-crisis in a highly-unexpected environment: waking up in an armored mech suit aquarium, neck-deep in a barren, sand-swept post-apocalyptic landscape beneath the ruins of the Golden Gate Bridge. Our nameless mermaid is also taking care of Lottie, an adorably cute tadpole companion, and their situation is dire as the life-sustaining water in the suit has a rising contamination level. There isn’t a drop of H2O in sight and the urgency is palpable, leading to some kinetic action and a cliffhanger ending. The distinct artwork is deeply saturated, cinematic in its pacing, and has a painterly anime styling. Not a ton happens in this first issue, but the world and situation are efficiently conveyed. I’ll probably be back because I’m really worried about Lottie’s well-being…and I would like to learn more about the intriguing premise of a post-apocalyptic mermaid.
3 out of 5 daggers
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T.P. Louise
Ashley Wood
Image Comics
A new anthology-type series from creators T.P. Louise and Ashley Wood featuring two stories which seem to hint at a considered back stories and worlds. But both episodes are so brief and unexplained that I wasn’t super sure what was going on. There’s a looseness to the stories and the art that is a whole cool vibe. “Duo Star Racers” seems to be a gritty illegal-street-race-for-survival story. Our intro to the world is framed by two characters arguing about a character we haven’t yet met. And then it flashes back to … some other people (?) …rapidly rollerblading (?) around a city …with lots of BRAAAAAAM sound effects everywhere that indicate this must be more than mere rollerblading. The second story “Miss & Mrs” seems witty, weird, and intriguing. And I might have understood it even less. But this hardly matters, because the real star here is the art! I must have been living under a rock, because I wasn’t previously familiar with Ashley Wood … every single mark here is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, threading the needle between wildly expressive and juuuuust rendered enough. Visually striking throughout, the book is printed on a rough, newsprint-like matte finished paper with chunky halftones in a limited color palette that gives the entire project a unique feel. I suspect these stories might come together with a few more episodes and I strongly suspect I’ll be along for the wild ride.
4 out of 5 daggers
Redcoat
Geoff Johns
Bryan Hitch
Andrew Currie
Brad Anderson
Ghost Machine/Image Comics
Redcoat hails from “The Unnamed”, a new extended universe from creator collective Ghost Machine. Initially set in the Revolutionary War, we meet Simon Pure, a reluctant British soldier who is cowardly, immoral, and self-interested. In this alternate history, the founding fathers have tapped into a Native American mysticism that may have enabled the successful creation of the United States. Unfortunately, Simon interrupts a ritual to grant additional powers to Ben Franklin, accidentally imbuing our hapless anti-hero with immortality. From here, it seems like the story will follow Simon through the centuries as he continues to follow his selfish impulses, making enemies, dodging angry mobs, and bumping up against reimagined historical figures and events. The artwork is great throughout: dynamic, detailed and beautifully colored. There has been a broad range of anti-heroes explored in recent years but I love how irredeemable and shameless Simon seems to be. Lots of opportunity for humor and fresh storytelling with a central character this vile. It might be because of the shirtless Ben Franklin or precocious preteen Albert Einstein we met in this issue but I’m less excited about the revisionist history angle of the story. But I also disliked Forrest Gump so that could be a personal aversion! There’s so much to like here and this could be a riotous dose of fun storytelling each month.
5 out of 5 daggers
