Aspen Comics 2015
Written by J.T. Krul
Penciled by Angel Tovar & Alex Konat
Inked by Angel Tovar & Mark Roslan
Coloured by John Starr & Frederico Blee
Cassidy learned the painful lesson that hiding her magic was much easier than a life exposed, as Taki’s S.W.A.T. Team managed to triangulate her cellphone’s location and nearly captured her. However, another magical ally known as Lily rescued the young girl and provided her safe haven. Yet, now she is under the watchful eye of the deadly and renowned warrior, Miya....
This issue focuses on Miya and her story. In order to understand why Miya is so feared and respected it’s necessary to understand her history. J.T. manages to take us back to her beginning through a ceremony that looks very much like a spirit journey that the Native American’s take.
One thing is clear from this story and that’s she loved her father and his death at the hands of those who enslaved them changed her forever. She became hardened and went from that sweet inquisitive young girl to this woman full of anger and rage. Through a quick series of events we see that the man responsible for her people’s captivity and the beings that were his guard a shift in feelings that enabled Miya to kill him and free them all.
The one thing about this story that sticks with you is Miya’s devotion to her father and what she does with his head that was on a spike as a reminder of the hopelessness of the situation she was in. It’s through this souvenir of her father that she’s able to go on this journey through the past and the future to see the course of things once again and is able to determine her course of action. From the magic leaving to it’s return we see everything she’s been through and a glimpse of what’s to come.
That she’s so long lived even without the magic is amazing to see. With everything she’s been through it’s quite clear she’s a fighter and has learned strategy and the art of war. Honing her skills from when the Jews left Egypt to World War II and everything in between. J.T. manages to really condense her story into one issue and beautifully tell her story. Her course has become clear and while she may not have all the answers she’s looking for she knows where to begin and that brings us up to where we are.
It’s a powerfully written story of one woman’s life through the good and bad times that have forged her into who she is.
One of the most consistent things about the Soulfire Universe is that the interior artwork has always been a standout. The colouring is so very important to this series as we see the magic in their wings and hair shimmering giving the reader that sense of wonder about the characters. While the physical artwork gets away from the traditional homage to Turner’s work that brings it to a whole new level as well. We see some very strong interior artwork that allows the artists put their own unique stamp on this world.
This is a great compliment to the Soulfire world we’ve already been exposed to but for new readers this also a perfect way to get introduced to it. New reader friendly and old reader comfort combine to make this one of the more interesting reads around.