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The
First
[Part of EDGE #9]
23/JAN/2003
Publisher: Crossgen
Writer: Barbara Kesel
Pencils: Andrea Di Vito
Inks: Brad Vancata
Colors: Rob Schwager
Letters: Dave LanPhear
Price: NA |
Let me start this off with a pun, this is the first of a series
of Crossgen titles up for review in the next few months. I recently
got my hands on one of their great priced compendium mini-trade
paperbacks, namely EDGE # 9. This format holds
eight Crossgen titles a month in full colour for only R115/$7.95,
all in all it’s a great deal.
This issue takes place in the middle of a story arc so certain intricacies
eluded me, but the main plot was easy enough to follow. The story
follows two houses of God-like beings complete with in-fighting
and all the Shakespearian “House Divided” plot twists
that go along with such a yarn.
This issue tells the story of Seahn witnessing his mother’s
death and Ingra being rescued by Pyrem from the spider-God Ervulsh.
This book was a bit to ‘fantastical’ for me, the whole
God thing seems really campy and isn’t pulled off with enough
characterisation to really spark any long term interest. Granted
I am deciding this after only one issue so I could be wrong.
The saving of Ingra by Pyrem from the clutches of the evil spider-man
Ervulsh is the straight forward ’hero saves the princess’
bit complete with her transformation back to normal when they kiss
in the closing panel of the issue. If you like this kind of straight
forward soap-opera driven fantasy then great, but I found it far
too weak for my blood.
The artwork is this books saving grace. Lavish colouring and beautiful
panel background textures save this book from being altogether boring.
The textures stood out so much to me, easily some of the best I’ve
seen in ages. Nice use of what is normally negative space to really
add some punch and extra dimension to the look of this title. Schwager
does have a bit of inconsistency however and some of his colouring
in the fight scene with Ingra disappointed me after such a great
job in the opening pages of this issue.
All together this book doesn’t seem to be anything special.
I think that with such a fantastical idea it is extremely hard to
pull of a great story. The art and in particular the colouring and
lettering help this book to stay alive. If you are hungering for
nicely drawn fantasy figures but not much of a storyline then you’re
bound to enjoy this one, if not I would look elsewhere.
Score 4/10
Reviewed By:Iain Duncan
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Comic Reviews
