Self-Published 2019
Written by Frankee White
Illustrated by Adam Markiewicz
Coloured by A.H.G.
Logo & Design by DC Hopkins
A squire named Selm makes a Faustian deal with terrible cost due upfront. This act opens up an entirely new & terrifying world to Selm full of horrors she never could've imagined.
I rather enjoyed this story. It was unexpected, captivating, thought provoking and extremely well executed. There are a number of things that happen within this story that people can easily relate to and while I doubt anyone will become a squire anytime soon it is really more about how one feels and their inner thoughts and struggles that capture the readers’ attention and what we identify with the most. At least that is my experience having read this.
This is a bit of a big one, over a hundred pages, making it the equivalent of a three issue graphic novel length feature. I loved that to be honest because it meant that we really get that opportunity to not only meet Selm but to see her in action and how she acts, reacts and goes about her life as well seeing the consequences of her actions even if those are something she wouldn’t like to admit about herself, actually for me it was those that really helped define her. The characterisation here is sensational and what Frankee does is rather impressive. Selm becomes a very complex young woman and we see that she was far from ready, maturity wise, to be in the situation she now finds herself.
I don’t think I want to see her mature and grow up. She is a very immature, see young, woman and she has absolutely no idea what the world is really like. She sees what she wants to and acts without thinking things through. For me it feels like your typical teenager who thinks they are more grown than they actually are and find themselves having to deal with consequences they weren’t prepared for or realised even existed. The way this book is structured is great and how the story reveals itself through the story & plot development is extremely nice to see. The ebb & flow between the story driven segments and the action we see are beautifully woven together.
I adore the linework that we see in these interiors. How the varying weights are utilised to bring out the attention to detail is gorgeous stuff. There is a very old school feel to the work that reminds of Sienkiewicz when he did the New Mutants, which we see a lot of in Bear, his hair and beard as well as throughout the entire issue. Then of course the utilisation of pointillism and cross-hatching that we see has this warming effect on the reader. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off a stellar eye for storytelling. The creativity and imagination here is sensational and how we are introduced to new species and how unique they appear is a wow factor. The colour work too is great. From the way we see light sources create shading, colour gradation and the shadows highlights some very nice skills. The are also instrumental in creating those creepy moments that fuel the readers’ own imagination.
As I kept getting deeper and deeper into the story I started wanting more and more. Balzac’s Bazaar was enthralling to see and wander through, not that she’ll be back if she has any sense in her at all but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to go back. These guys have really been able to create and flesh out this world in continually expected ways and from the looks of things they’ve only just gotten started. Keep your eyes on this one and these creators and do yourself a favour and find a way to get this one, be on the lookout!