Sunday Revue March 1: There Was A War

Hurry Hurry Hurry!
           Have I Got a Show For You Today! 

                                                      Hang Onto Your Hats, Because

This hauntingly evocative work is the creation of Aislinn Evans, this complete comic can be read here.

A powerful and heart wrenching retelling, this is one of the most evocative folklore riffs I've seen. Its base is in the Book of the Takings of Ireland, an ancient Irish mythological work. But don't let that turn you away. This is the story of two girls, the gods who use them as playing pieces, and the war they're caught up in.

Prepare yourself.

The Rating

Wistful and brutal, heart-wrenching and echoing the power of ancient tales. A wonderful work.

The Raves

Let's start, as the creator does, with the story. 

So, I grew up with the Book of the Takings of Ireland as part of my bedtime stories, right? My great grandfather and my aunties and uncles told me about how the great Lough All Crafted slew Balor of the Evil Eye. It's part of my heritage and my heart, this story. (on a personal note, this story has some lines as gaeilge--in Irish--and that shouldn't concern you. But I was thrilled. I never get to practice my Irish on anything fun. Go rab maith agat to the creator for that!)
I tell you that so that you understand when I say this re-imagining of the legend is stunning. In this tale, the young girl (!!!) Balor is cursed into her powers: an armor of stone, and an eye that destroys when it is opened. It is a terrible curse that took the life of her own father, and many of her own clan, before her people found a way to control it.

That way is terrible: keeping young Balor in solitary confinement for her crimes and her abilities. She is pulled out only for battles.

And who are her people? Once, they were peaceful fisher-folk. Now, they are endlessly at war with the invading humans and their patron gods, the Tuatha De Danann. The Fomorii are physically stronger. The humans are many, and they wield magic. The war is horrendously bloody.

In the midst of it, two girls--one human, one Fomorii--make a friendship that blossoms.

But flowers are often trampled in times of war.

In the classic style of ancient legends, the gods play games with the lives of mortals, rolling Fate as their dice. The story is written in such an experiential way that it never feels forced; in fact, you feel the helpless horror of the characters as they realize what they've gotten into. It's beautifully evocative and utterly heart wrenching.  It's also a really powerful exploration of the amoral nature of narrative. With the right story, anyone becomes a monster. A beast. A demon. Or they become someone relatable and understandable. It's all in how the web of words is spun.

I found this story to be a powerful parable on war-narrative and the narrative of colonialism: you watch both sides justify themselves and dehumanize (for want of a better word hah) the other side. Both sides have justifiable grievances, and both sides have glaring blind spots when it comes to their own crimes.  Both sides, Fomorii and human, have lost too much. And both are in pain.

There's so much evocative power in this work that it could easily have been overwhelming. But it's leavened with moments of comfort, friendship, and joy up until the bitter end. (and yes, I mean that literally) The two main characters, Cethlenn and Balor, are so cleverly imagined at that tender teenage point where you almost know it all one day, and no nothing the next. It's an age when the world is so FRUSTRATING, because it just won't LISTEN to you!!! That feeling of fighting to find your own voice and being tired of the entire world's bull is beautifully captured. But so is the tenderness of new friendship, the terrifying and amazing feeling of becoming vulnerable to someone else, and the soft and electric thrill of budding romance.

Yes, romance. Lesbian, interspecies YA romance. In an ancient setting. Ohhhhh yes. Perfectly rendered and absolutely wonderful.

 Oh, and there are some great laughs too, mostly revolving around interspecies diet differences and misunderstandings. The Fomorii are mostly carnivores who live on fish. Humans eat a lot more plant matter than they do. With amusing results in discussion...

Speaking of that ancient setting: the art perfectly captures the Pictish and Old Celtic styles of an Ireland before it had iron. It's a powerful, visceral art style, saturated with mood-setting colors. Rough around the edges, it's designed to bypass the front of the brain and reach right down into the limbic system, pushing all the emotional buttons. And oh my, does it ever push. 

There's a really solid grasp of character design in this work, and body language is used to great effect. I really adored the capturing of teen frustration in image as much as words. I mean, this? This is gold.

This too

But be warned: this work is not for the faint of heart. It is based in bloody ancient legends, and it doesn't shy from that material.

Oh, and it drops the F bomb. Fair warning.

The Razzes

The biggest frustration I had with this story was a classic, and a trap I used to fall into myself. Word bubbles that are hard to follow. Oh word bubbles. How you torment creators. But if your reader has trouble following the lines, they're probably going to be harder to engage for the whole comic.

For English and Romance Language readers, bubbles alway need to flow right>left>up>down, as below.

The comic did get a LOT better as it went on, and a friendly note at the beginning lets readers know that they are reading the work of someone learning the art of comics. So yes, the beginning is a little rocky, but don't let that stop you from taking the road.

The Revue

A powerful and evocative story of hope, war, decision and discovery that will run you through the fires of catharsis and leave you clean on the other side. It's a hard trip, but it's well worth the journey.

Sunday Revue February 16: Tea Dragon Society

Good Gentles And Redoubtable Rapscallions of the Public,

the Doors of the Strip Show Are Hereby Open Once More!

On With The Show!

Today, on stage we have the beloved, the delightful, the darling

The creation of Katie O'Neill, the Tea Dragon Society can be read at this link.


After discovering a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives -- and eventually her own.
The Rating

Put the kettle on to boil and curl up with me for a lovely read. You'll be so very glad you did.

The Raves

On Tea Dragons, I'll have to begin with the visual aspect. This work. This work is just plain BEAUTY.




Echoing the award-winning cartoon Hilda in style, Tea Dragons is a visual delight. Done in soft curves and pastel lines, its style is gentle and comforting, giving a soft 'it's going to be okay' message to your mind even when it showcases some tragedies.




It's the perfect support for this story. Oh this story. Oh, my friends, this story. To grossly oversimplify it, imagine if Pokemon was more about the work and love of being an animal caretaker than it was about Team Rocket and battles. Gentle, supportive and inclusive, Tea Dragons reminds us that there is more than one kind of strength. With compassionate determination, it shows us how to rear and care for the magical Tea Dragons, hybrid flora-fauna crosses who grow the finest tea leaves on their antlers. It goes into quite a lot of detail on a charming side page. And it follows through on its central tenant in every page. The valor of battle is a strength, true. But the patience and diligence needed to nurture life is also a strength.


The dedication it takes to perfect a craft is a strength. The ingenuity to find an answer to a problem that doesn't involve violence is a strength.




And the compassion to understand another is a strength.






The inclusion in this story is effortless, showing at least two LGBT characters in a wonderful committed relationship while keeping it kid friendly. The elder figures of Erik and Hesekiel remind me a lot of Lark and Rosethorn in Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic series, and I ate it up with a spoon.


And all I can say is THANK YOU for a story that shows the dedication and care it takes to be a craftsperson in a positive light. Thank you. So much. This is a story I want all young kids and tweens to see; it's the perfect thing to show them (and remind us adults) that all ways of being strong are needed. And sometimes, the great work of figuring out who you need to be in this life is all the adventure you need.

The Razzes

Does 'I want more, sniff, sniff, it's too short, whimper' count? ;) Probably not.

The Revue

Pour your tea. Curl up. Read. Let the story ease in around you. Steep your soul in the story today. It will ease the aches and soften the hard edges.
I can give no higher praise.

Sunday Revue June 24: Witchy

You Are Opening The Door To New Worlds...Brace Yourself And Tie Back Your Hair For

Power is a double edged blade. It can give you the life you dream of...or take it away. And you have no choice in the matter.

....or do you?

This is the question in Hyalin, where power in moderation is a blessing, and immoderate power a deadly curse. In this deadly world, one teenager refuses to accept the choices she is allowed, and makes her own way. This is the story of Nyneve: coward, hero, rebel, runaway. What you see depends on where you stand.

The creation of Ariel Ries, Witchy can be read at this link.

The Rating

Superb magical abilities

The Raves

With an art style reminiscent of Secret of Kells, the first thing Witchy will catch is your eye.

The color scheme is well-chosen and vibrant, capturing the feel of times and places in an almost impressionistic fashion. Stylistically reminiscent of watercolor and animation both, it's a well-crafted treat for the eye. The world building is gorgeously done: you feel you could walk into the crowd scenes. 

The second thing Witchy will attract is your curiosity. We are dropped right into the thick of a world riven with strifes and prejudices of its own creation, formed through its own history. Well paced and nicely laid out, the story draws you into the pathos of events: characters torn between loyalty to country and devotion to family, between personal safety and personal autonomy, between hopes for the future and wounds of the past. The comic dances nimbly past many pitfalls of trope and stereotype, never quite giving you what you expected but always showing you a character who you can relate to on some level (including a few characters who you shudder to find yourself understanding.)

And then Witchy will capture your heart. This is a story of stubborn hope in the face of overwhelming odds. It's a story of devotion to your loved ones and integrity in the face of all the world's demands to conform.  Witchy manages to explore themes of personal strength, identity, autonomy and personal decision perfectly: without preaching or creating situations that feel forced, it creates storylines that lets us see the many facets of characters' identities and truly explore the idea that diversity is a culture's strength. The weakness in one member of a society should complement the strength in another. When we laud only some strengths and only some ways of being, we soon become dangerously out of balance. The issue of how to be authentic in an unbalanced society is explored in beautiful detail here.

The Razzes

I have only one complaint. Ariel, please stop apologizing every time you have to take a break on Witchy! Reading your comments, I rather feel like giving you a hug. You have nothing to apologize for. Your readers understand: this work is time consuming and life is busy. Nobody can fault you for taking breaks! Take care of yourself and the art will be better for it. 

The Revue

This is a must read, for all ages. It's one you'll visit again and again.

Sunday Revue February 18: Spidersilk

Draw Your Sword And Jump In With

 Spidersilk!

In this story, when they say 'thicker than thieves', they mean it. The motley crew of thieves who call themselves the Orbweavers spin their warp strings of adventure and intrigue across a weft of camaraderie and deep mutual respect. Oh, and a little romance goes into the decorative stitching too.
The creation of Alakotila, Spidersilk can be found at this link.

The Rating

A lovely little ramble through historic by-ways and crimes! 

The Raves

I'll give this comic two of my highest compliments: I had to force myself to stop reading in order to write the review, and I added this one to my personal reading list. Be aware, I do that rarely.
The story revolves around Prentice, a syphon (read blood mage) who builds his new life among a tribe of rascals and scallywags.

The story is delightful: by turns laugh-out-loud funny, tender and topped up with action, it's a rollicking ride. The romantic subplots are well and amusingly done, balancing tenderness with humor in a way that gives each relationship its own authenticity. 

The art style is a nice balance of skill and practicality: chapter pages and first pages are in well-done color, leaving the rest of the issue in sepia tone. I applaud the creator for striking a good balance between craft and speed: by doing work in this way they get to have their cake and eat it too. Oh, and speaking of cake, new thieves go through a training exercise of stealing cake from other thieves. The hilarity that ensues from that is enough reason to read. 

The creator is pulling on sword and sorcery fairly heavily for the world building basics, but they do so well enough that you question your own definitions of what each trope means as the characters do. Racial bias and the overcoming of it is one of the mainstays of the story, and it's well integrated, becoming neither a soapbox nor a narrative bludgeon but simply a nasty fact of our character's lives. And when there is action, it's both well planned and well drawn, both the amusing and the bloody bits.

All in all, I was quite a happy reader.

The Razzes

My biggest stumbling block to being a reader was the dialogue layout and general lettering. I can hear you wince from here, gentle readers. Yes, lettering, the bane of all comic creation.
But in the case of Spidersilk, there is hope for some fairly easy fixes!

Firstly, a little layout tweaking. Throughout the story, there are many pages where two small panels are offset by a larger vertical panel. 

This is fine, but if it's to be done, it must be done in a way that makes the eye flow easily. If the speech bubble on the right-hand panel bottom were the only one in that panel, this example would be perfect. But as the eye must return to the top, confusion ensues. Western minds are trained to read left-right, top-bottom. Change that and watch your readers wince. 

Working on the speech bubbles would also be a help. Many of them are a touch shaky and oddly formed, giving the reader a 'cramped' reading experience. I had this issue a great deal as a new artist myself.

But there is a fix for this!

I use GIMP as my main program, so I'll display it through that, but every art program I've heard of has a version of this process. 

First, create a transparent layer between the art and the type. For the purposes of this example and my laziness, I won't be re-typing the text to show. (by the way many apologies to the creator, I mixed up who's speaking in this panel and due to said laziness decided to leave my mistake in  rather than re-make the example. My sloth, my shame).

Using a very large setting on a white, round brush, create circles/ellipses around each text block.

By the way, try as much as possible to create complete circles. Speech bubbles that are cut off here and there harm the aesthetic of the page. A bubble that butts into the edge of the panel should be continued into the gutter. Make the gutter larger if need be, it's worth it.

Add your bubble tails with a smaller setting on the white brush. Then select your Wand tool. 

Select the entire transparent layer by clicking it with the wand tool. This will outline your bubbles in a dashed line.

Now, stroke the selection. (particularly approps for this story heh heh ;) )

Always stroke with the paintbrush or pencil tool set to the line thickness you want. This outlines all your bubbles in a nice black line. 

If you forget to use the paintbrush or pencil and simply stroke with the automated line size, the lines will be pixilated, as below.

If you did that by accident, never fear. Just hit 'blur', then 'cartoon' or 'photocopy', which will smooth out the lines.

And there you have it:quick, good looking bubbles! 

The Revue

A lovely wander through a well built world, with a few laughs along the way.