Skybound/Image Comics 2014
Created & Written by Joshua Williamson
Created & Illustrated by Andrei Bressan
Coloured by Adriano Lucas
Lettered by Pat Brousseau
Welcome to Rya’s story. This is the issue that we finally get to see what a complex and emotional woman she is. As she recounts her story to Mikey’s mother we get to see the events that shaped her from infancy to now. It’s also easy to see how she and Mikey were just as destined to become lovers and have a child together. All in all this is a prime example as to why Joshua and Andrei have created one of the most stunning books.
Rook saved many children from the battlefield, Rya among them, and raised them the best he could all things considered. They were orphans of war on the one hand and had to be raised to fight on the other. We see how Rya is trained, raised and her first look at the wall about the warrior from another world will be their saviour.
Joshua manages in one issue to tell her story beautifully. I mean that we can get her life summed up here like it is is amazing. The editing process that he must have went through to get all this in the way it is must have been amazingly difficult. I’m amazed at how much information he’s able to bring across here and not just from the story itself. Her emotions and feelings throughout are wonderfully presented as well. From seeing him as a child weak and afraid compared to how she was raised to the search for him when he went missing. Most people would take this amount of stuff and stretch it into a three parter. So that we can get it all here and feel completely satisfied by it, yeah that’s talent.
Andrei continues to impress. I mean the man has some mad skill and talent in that mind and body of his. The work is always superb and the way he uses the page layouts utilising angles, perspective and those detailed backgrounds bring this to life like no one else can. The way he can use subtle moments like the mural on the wall and the contrast with the figures is amazing to see. That he uses such attention to detail in his work always makes this such a joy to see time and time again.
I’m more than ready for the next phase of the story to begin and for the birth of Mikey’s baby not to mention his reunion with Rya. This is a perfect one of issue that reminds us what it is everyone is fighting for. The stakes are high and the threat to Terrenos have us all on edge. Now with Rya’s story i’m more anxious than ever to see if she’s the one who will be able to free Mikey from Lore’s thrall or if she’s hold good on that last statement she vehemently makes.
Since it’s debut this has captured my mind, imagination and heart and that should hold true for everyone who reads it.