Valiant Entertainment 2017
Written by Matt Kindt
Illustrated by Cafu
Coloured by Andrew Dalhouse
Lettered by Dave Sharpe
Welcome to the Deadside, one of many nether realms and outer dimensions,
Its diverse inhabitants include souls of the departed, visitors from other realms, and even the living. For some, the Deadside itself is the afterlife--their final destination in the hereafter--while for others, it is merely a stop on the way to their final reward. To a few, it is a source of mystical powers….
First of all I’m sorry that Gilad wasn’t available for this story as well. Mainly because of everything we’ve seen of him lately has made him that much more interesting to me and Tama the Geomancer is a part of it. Though we are in the midst of a Deadside story so it’s only natural that it stars Ninjak. Though it’s somewhat ironic that the man with no real discernable powers is the one who visits this accursed place most often. We do however get Punk Mambo who I absolutely adore and wish we’d see more of, a four issue series isn’t too much to ask for is it? Then throw in Shadowman who believes himself to be Magpie after being stranded in the Deadside for so long and this is one heck of an eclectic team Matt’s assembled and one that promises one hell of a time!
There’s a reason I love Matt and what he’s capable of doing. I mean Tama here is probably one of the most powerful, innocent and experienced of the Geomancers we’ve seen and that she can be so infectious in her nature is utterly delightful. The characterisation here is beyond extraordinary and that she’s the catalyst, travelling the Deadside basically on her own with TADD should serve to demonstrate just how strong and powerful this young lady truly is.
CAFU and Andrew bring this life beautifully. I mean the Deadside looks and feels cold, desolate and dangerous even with Tama and TADD wandering through meeting its denizens. Who have the creativity and imagination to be both mesmerising and tantalizingly deadly. The utilisation of page layouts through angles, perspective and those all important backgrounds not only control the ebb and flow of the story but transport readers to this magical place. The attention to detail here is amazing and the little things you notice but take for granted make this stand out even more.
I love the premise behind this story. Using the Rapture and the Tower of Babel mixed into a prophecy in the Book of the Geomancer to start off what could be considered an epic story arc is genius. This is why Matt is so beloved and respected for what he does as he can seamlessly weave the past, present and fictional heroes into a story that not feels like it’s straight out of past history but is as thrilling as all get out as well.
Can a handful of heroes stop one lone madman from breaching the Liveside and ending Earth’s existence as we know it? Well we’ll be here waiting each issue to find out that’s for certain.