Action Lab Entertainment/A Little Vast Studios 2016
Created, Written & Lettered by Gary Turner
Illustrated by Carlos E. Gomez
Coloured by Eddy-Swan
Before the existence of any who could record, the world was here. It came into being by the forces of both elements and magic. With the flow of the oceans, lava and winds also erupted rivers of the arcane shaping the world with blessing and banes alike.
Those effects could only be inferred, until eons later by those that could see. Upon the birth of the fey, the dwellers and draconic did magic come under the sway of intent. Out of every thousand have the ability to perceive these lines and threads. They harvest and wield them for many causes.
Ever since the world has swung by a pendulum: order & chaos, dark & light, even life, death & undeath. Such has it been….most would have you believe it will always be….
So if you haven’t read the Zero issue well then go to your local shoppe, or contact your subscription service and get it, then you’ve missed how Kai ended up on this planet. This issue picks up where that one left off but don’t worry you don’t have to have read that zero issue to understand what’s happening here. This issue does open with a quick recap of the world and those magical beings that inhabit it, and yes it’s very much akin to a Dungeons & Dragons module.
The care Gary has taken in creating this world and it’s characters shows. You can tell that there has been a great deal of preparation in this before the story itself happened and it’s little details like that a reader picks up on and appreciates whether it’s voiced or not. Also right off the bat you can tell that Carlos and Eddy-Swan work amazingly well together. They bring the myriad of characters to life beautifully. The sense of awe and wonder is there alongside the fantastic creatures meant to give you pause. Plus the use pages and panel layouts are superbly done. The mix of technology Kai brings to this world alongside the magic is so nice to see, then there are the incredible two-page spreads.
The characterization here is sublime. M’Sai is this young woman who is at an age where she knows everything, we all know the type of teenager that is. Her mentor gets frustrated by her confidence in being right when she isn’t seeing things for what they truly are and his guiding hand to helping her see what other reasons there could be is as familiar at looking at one’s own relationship with their family.
A lot of this issue is establishing the new status quo for these three. While they have no true understanding that Kai has come from space instead of a far away land and being a boy he’s treated differently so there’s that. Still that he has his Golem, yes a nice way to see a robot you don’t understand, and it’s a powerful protector does help him stand out to them. As circumstances unfold we see how their future interaction will benefit each of them and that Kai’s father said he’d be back for him and in the meantime he’s very much lost and alone. So it has this great learning curve going on with both sides. There’s the potential for a new kind of family unit to be created as well as new champions to arise in this world.
This is an exciting new series with so much potential for anyone of any age. It’s superbly written and beautifully illustrated with a great blend of characters. This is one of those series that will sneak up on you and you’ll find it an important part of your monthly reading.