Image Comics 2016
Written by Charles Soule
Illustrated by Ryan Browne
Coloured by Ryan Browne, Jordan Boyd & Michael Parkinson
Lettered by Chris Crank, Ryan Browne & Shawn Depasquale
Alright i’m in. This was definitely interesting and the way that it’s set up has done what it needed to in order to garner interest. Wizord is an interesting character and that this is not only our introduction to him but something of an origin for him works well. I mean we get enough to set the series up while Charles leaves plenty unspoken so there’s still plenty to learn.
I like the characterisation here as we see the now and how we got to the now. He’s an interestingly odd fellow with a sordid and convoluted past. He has three rules for helping people and so long as you agree to that then he’ll help you. We open up with one such agreement and I like that it’s kind of literal and plays into “be careful what you wish for…” in its consequences. That Charles manages to make the character as complicated as he is and still retain an air of mystery about him is great to see.
So it isn’t long before Wizord is attacked by someone he knows. This is fun because it’s the catalyst for us learning his background. Also the dude attacking him, Cornwall, is decked out like some kind of Italian Court Jester and that instantly makes him someone we want to know.
This is an oversized issue so there’s a lot of stuff thrown at us. However Charles is one of those storytellers who really understands how to structure the story to give us the maximum impact. From the first page to the last we see a few aspects of Wizord and how he comes to think of Earth and we’re left with a lot conflicting emotions about it. That there is so much going on and so many questions regarding not only where he comes from but his current intentions it really draws you in.
Ryan’s interiors here are marvelous! The use of page layouts utilising angles, perspective and the backgrounds really bring this to life. The colouring with the magic effects are spectacular to see. Also I love the transformation in the visage of Wizord from when he arrives on Earth to what we see in the opening. Plus while I kinda liked the Rat but the idea of a Koala as his familiar/sidekick well that’s even better. I love the emotions we see on the page from the characters and there are some great slices of life and a little sexiness thrown into the mix that I appreciate.
The guys manage to introduce us to this series with just enough to wet the appetite leave us wanting more. This has the perfect blend of mystery, action & intrigue to go along with these elements you’ll learn of when you read the issue.
This has all the promise a new series needs to become one of the years hottest hits.