| |
|
 |
|
|
Ruse
[Part of EDGE #9]
12/JAN/2003
Publisher: Crossgen
Writer: Scott Beatty
Pencils: Butch Guice
Inks: Michael Perkins
Colors: Laura DePuy
Letters: Dave LanPhear
Price: NA |
I was expecting this to be one of the better titles that Crossgen
has produced because of its original setting and easily accessible
storyline.
Ruse is set in an old Victorian English world and based around the
adventures of a Sherlock Holmes – like detective named Simon
Archard and his beautiful assistant Emma Bishop.
The story is already part way through an arc but is nevertheless
very easy to get into due to its simplistic core narrative. I really
enjoyed the characterisation employed by Scott Beatty. He manages
to keep the cast of characters small which in turn gives him room
to add a lot more depth to the lead characters personalities.
This issue revolves around Emma searching for Simon through the
ruins of a burning town. The thought based narrative from her side
is good and her quick witted banter with the man aiding her on her
quest, the simple-minded Pete, is just fantastically well written
dialogue. Overall the characters are believable, solid and interesting
enough to get you to keep turning the pages. Beatty must be given
added credit here for his grasp of the language of the time period
in which this book is set. It’s a job well done in that he
has kept the true tone of the language and the quaint pleasantries
of the past directly in line with the period perfect art.
I was really impressed with two main artistic elements in this issue.
Number one was the brilliantly drawn landscapes and surroundings.
Elegant houses and Cathedrals dot the skyline, archways and old-English
residences grace the cobblestone streets, you really get into the
setting and feel like you’ve been taken back into the past.
Secondly the costume design is dazzling. From capes and canes to
scuff covers on shoes to old fashioned skirts, it’s the whole
trip. The accuracy and effort put into the settings and costumes
really made this book a joy to read and they aid in bringing an
added dimension of realism to the table. You really feel like you
have taken a trip back in time to a fantastical era.
It really needn’t be said but I’ll say it anyway. The
characters are rendered really well with an almost perfect realism.
Most Crossgen stuff is known for this though so it’s not really
anything new, but it helps to make this feel more like a book/movie
rendered into comic form than merely a comic trying to be more like
a book.
The colouring is very good, appropriate and does a nice job of enhancing
the setting through a limited palette of well chosen colours. Certain
elements are done particularly well, one such example is the use
of textures over fire and smoke. This really boosts the realism
and gives life-like qualities to the story. The use of texture on
shirts and dresses gives them a layer of dirt and scruffiness which
again helps to bring another element of realism to the finished
product.
A really fun trip back into the time of detectives and villains
chasing each other along the cobblestone pathways of old-England.
A joy to look at in terms of elegant costume design and photo-realistic
backdrops. A good read, great characterization and old-fashioned
dialogue help drive a simple yet engaging story.
Score 8/10
Reviewed By:Iain Duncan
|
|
|
|
Comic Reviews
