Writer: Rick Quinn Art: Dana Obera Publisher: Aurora Comics
WHAT IS IT?
A self-contained "one-shot" story about a city torn between the rich few and the many poor, and one woman who chose to rebel against those in power instead of serving them.
Basically, it's the plot of Mr. Robot season 1 meets the world-building of The Expanse, but at sea instead of in space.
WHAT'S IT ABOUT? (Minor Spoilers)
The story here is very short, so I don't want to say too much out of fear of spoiling anything.
A woman is forced to live in the corroded city under the sea. Those above the surface live in a beautiful golden city that she once called home. Her life now is one of servitude; there's no other way of life or choice available to this unfortunate caste.
But this woman, our protagonist, has lost everything to these powerful surface-dwellers, and she wants her revenge.
And, fortunately, she has just the plan to take it...
WHAT WORKS?
Quinn knows when to talk and when to let the art works its magic; he pauses and gives us time to catch our breaths or watch the action play out, and it pays dividends in the comic's delivery
Obera's watercolor here is gorgeous, rich and full of life -- I'd love to see more of her comics work in the future
The team somehow condenses what could be an entire run or series of comics brilliantly and effectively into a single one-shot issue
Like Quinn's other comic, The Ghost Butterfly, this comic is only $2, which is (in this yeti's opinion) an incredible value for the story
WHAT DOESN'T WORK?
I would have willingly read so many more issues of this story, and I'm sad that it just ends here
Fitting an entire rebellion story into a single issue does take away from the nuance, but Quinn & Obera still make it effective and exciting
I wish hardcopies of this comic were available
WHY SHOULD I READ IT?
What I said about The Ghost Butterfly, I'll echo here: For a self-published one-shot comic, this blows its competition out of the water. It does so much in just 20 pages, and I was sad that it ended. This book is a hidden gem. If you know anyone looking for an example of excellent self-published work, direct them here.
WHAT DO I READ NEXT?
If you like the writing:
Tour Guide by Rick Quinn & Dana Obera
LOW, Vol. 1 by Rick Remender & Greg Tocchini
WE3 by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely
If you like the art:
How to Talk to Girls at Parties, by Neil Gaiman, Fábio Moon & Gabriel Bá
Dept. H, Vol. 1 by Matt Kindt
Descender, Vol. 1 by Jeff Lemire & Dustin Nguyen
ABOUT THE CREATORS
Rick Quinn – Script & Letters
Multitalented: Also works as an artist, a graphic designer and a filmmaker
Tends to write shorter, single-issue ("one-shot") comics
Recently funded (via Kickstarter) his next comic, Spirit Drifters
Dana Obera – Art
Inked and colored most of this comic from inside his car
Tends toward watercolor as a medium
Outlander: Lives in Indonesia
HOW DO I BUY IT?
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