Aspen Comics 2018
Created & Written by J.T. Krul & Vince Hernandez
Illustrated by Romina Moranelli
Coloured by Enrica Eren Angiolini
Lettered by Dez Sienty
“WHISPERS IN THE NIGHT”
The curious and adventurous relic hunter Remi, and her father, Dawah, lived on the edge of a blade in a constant balance between their secret life of discovery and a hierarchy that disavowed scientific knowledge in any form. Yet, that balance came crashing down in tragedy, as her father was brutally slain by the ruling power, The Akolouth. Now, Remi is left with only the relic left behind by herblate father, a relic foreign to her in every way…
I think the opening is cute and it’s a nice reminder for Remi to life like her father wished she would. Okay maybe not so nomadic but as with as much truth as she can put down regardless of it’s consequences. It does bring us up to speed however with what she has gone through since her father was murdered and she ran from the Clerics in her town. We don’t hear much more about the differences between those who seek discovery and the religion that rules with an iron fist which I wish we’d see more of.
The way that this book is structured and the whole flow that we experience while reading it. There are a few things about the book that still elude my grasp but hopefully that will come as the story continues. So when we pick up Remi in her new life, or that which she is currently living as she doesn’t stay for long periods in one place, there’s another who talks. He is much like that town drunk that nobody really pays any mind to but likes to ramble on about things that go against the grain. However because this is a bar and it’s where Remi works she hears him and is intrigued.
At first it seemed that on her time off Remi was meandering around town. Until you realise what it is she’s actually doing and then things get a little more interesting for me. The only question I have is are notes detail enough about the kinds of metals and materials she’s testing that when she has to relocate will that be enough or will she have to start all over again? Also I have to give out major props for where we see Remi living and the creativeness of it. I like that she is a part of the town, as she works there, but doesn’t live in directly so that affords some distance in case things get weird.
I do rather like the interiors here and how the aliens and alien landscape comes to life. The linework is interesting as there really isn’t a finesse to it but it gets the job done to create the looks and feel that we need to experience the story. The utilisation of the page layouts and the angles and perspective that we see in the panels shows off a nice eye for storytelling. Backgrounds are utilised well and they do a lot to expand the moment or locations nicely. I find the different races among the people here interesting as well or maybe it’s just different between the sexes and either way I like it.
There are a few things that happen in this issue that I wasn’t expecting but make for exciting reading. That they are connected is even better. Also that it would seem that any species that forms a society and spreads out to create communities that trade and share with one another seeming all have a common ancestry theme. The written word as it evolves from it’s earliest for as cave drawings. That was the case with our own race and we use supposition to put that elsewhere and it’s not illogical since we find them all parts of the world.
Cute, interesting and with the whole science versus religion aspect in full effect this is a fun read that is easy to relate to. With excellent characterisation and a solid base plot I recommend this.