Albatross Funnybooks 2017
Created & Written by Brendon Small
Illustrated by Steve Mannion
Coloured by Marissa Louise
Lettered by Warren Montgomery
Well Triton is in it deep as his head is all messed up now after the whole divorce. Meanwhile the man, or being if you prefer, who seems to be the galaxy’s biggest threat has escaped his prison cell. The man who put him there is Triton himself and now he’s after him to exact his revenge. The only problem is he’s a shapeshifter and can wear any skin he touches.
I like the opening here. Ah while corporations may differ from governments it’s really all the same in thinking. The more power and the more control you have the better off you are. The only problem with that is when someone comes along and knocks you out of that seat you were in and essentially makes you the laughing stock. Notoriously they are self-serving bleep holes but still they are fun to see scramble to contain something that is far from their control.
The transition to seeing Triton however is extremely well done as we come to him sitting with his therapist. Alright for a man who doesn’t believe in therapy he finds himself sitting in her chair once again. I kind of like this because when you listen to a shrink and allow yourself to start to believe what it is they say then you are caught up in that endless loop of needing and wanting to believe that help is there. When the reality of it is that unless said therapist has been through what you have then there is no conceivable way for them to help you. Okay so that last part is my own supposition on the subject.
Regardless the characterisation that Brendon brings to this is pretty freakin amazing. I really like not only the way he brings Triton to life but even the peripheral characters get the kind of attention that they deserve. I rather like the fact that even the most insipid of Liz’s friends gets enough dialogue so we know exactly what time of person she is. Then again though her friends aren’t exactly the kind of women you would likely surround yourself with if you had half a brain. Still they serve their purpose and although we only see Liz in their company it’s enough to want more.
I do like the interiors that Steve brings us here. I was kind of taken aback by the opening as I found the work there to be surprisingly different than I was expecting it to be. It is a nice thing to see as well I have to admit it wowed me. So the attention to detail that we see throughout is strong and adds a flair to what we see that you don’t expect but find welcome. The women however feel like they should be in a Playboy cartoon which shouldn’t surprise me but for whatever reason it does. The use of page layouts here and their angles and perspective show a very solid eye for storytelling. Overall there is a very high quality to the illustration here and it highlights the story incredibly well.
The way that this story is structured is extremely well done. I am enjoying the whole ebb & flow of the tale. Between all the personal drama and the character development and growth there’s a wee bit of action that happens here. From the opening to the last page shocking revelation what Brendon delivers here is some rather solid, interesting and fun story.
Do you remember when comics were fun? Do you wish they were again? Well here’s your shot and you need to give this a chance because it’s fun and somewhat over the top but it always feels authentic regardless.