Canopus #1
Scout Comics 2020
By Dave Chisholm
Colour Flats by Dustyn Payette
Helen wakes up marooned on a lifeless alien planet 300 light years from Earth with no memories beyond a hazy sense of extinction-level urgency to return to Earth. Joined by Arther, her strange robot companion, she explores the planet to find materials necessary to repair her ship. However, circumstances are not as straightforward as they seem. Along the way, Helen's most painful memories return as monstrous manifestations hell-bent on her destruction.
Well first I have to say thing, Damn you Dave for this! I mean I have no idea what the hell I just read but it really feels like something less than straight forward. So what Dave does in such spectacular fashion is he engages the reader almost immediately so they, we, have to use their minds to think of what is beyond the page, beyond what's presented and into their own realm of knowledge to find a way to make the pieces of the puzzle work together. I am completely and utterly impressed with the level and quality of the writing here. This goes so far above and beyond what you may think it will and that for me showcases why I hold Scout Comics in such high regard.
I really am enjoying the way that this is being told. How we see the story & plot development through how the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is presented in a great fashion. From the moment the book opens and the story begins we have to question everything that we see. The way this is presented to the reader creates this amazing amount of interest and how it flows so seamlessly is superb to see. The character development is sensational and how we see Helen act and react to the things around or what she encounters is so telling of her nature and who she is. The way the pacing takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way helps to create this really intriguing and odd ebb & flow to the book.
I am thrilled with this so far. It is odd and has these quirky moments that make you raise the eyebrow and feel a puzzled Spock. It has this endearing quality mixed with this whole what the hell mentality to what we see that makes this really something different.
The interiors are really nice as well. Though I will say I think Dave's strength is in his writing but the interiors here are interesting. The linework is really nice and seeing how the varying weights are utilised to bring out the attention to detail is superb. The backdrop for what we see is gorgeous and I love the attention that's given and how in the vastness of space in this supposed deserted setting it is able to bring depth perception, scale and that overall sense of size and scope. The utilisation of the page layouts sand how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a great eye for storytelling. The creativity and imagination that is on display here is so gosh darn exciting and fresh to me. I like the colour work that we see. There is the illusion of colour blocking, bleeding or gradation in the space we see but it's really overlay and that is impressive. The way that the various hues and tones are utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is really delightful.
This is a great first issue to an assuming story that has more depth and layers to it than full colour pride cake. It has a stellar premise, it completely engages the reader and takes us on a mental as well visual journey you won't soon forget.
Scout Comics 2020
By Dave Chisholm
Colour Flats by Dustyn Payette
Helen wakes up marooned on a lifeless alien planet 300 light years from Earth with no memories beyond a hazy sense of extinction-level urgency to return to Earth. Joined by Arther, her strange robot companion, she explores the planet to find materials necessary to repair her ship. However, circumstances are not as straightforward as they seem. Along the way, Helen's most painful memories return as monstrous manifestations hell-bent on her destruction.
Well first I have to say thing, Damn you Dave for this! I mean I have no idea what the hell I just read but it really feels like something less than straight forward. So what Dave does in such spectacular fashion is he engages the reader almost immediately so they, we, have to use their minds to think of what is beyond the page, beyond what's presented and into their own realm of knowledge to find a way to make the pieces of the puzzle work together. I am completely and utterly impressed with the level and quality of the writing here. This goes so far above and beyond what you may think it will and that for me showcases why I hold Scout Comics in such high regard.
I really am enjoying the way that this is being told. How we see the story & plot development through how the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is presented in a great fashion. From the moment the book opens and the story begins we have to question everything that we see. The way this is presented to the reader creates this amazing amount of interest and how it flows so seamlessly is superb to see. The character development is sensational and how we see Helen act and react to the things around or what she encounters is so telling of her nature and who she is. The way the pacing takes us through the pages revealing the twists and turns along the way helps to create this really intriguing and odd ebb & flow to the book.
I am thrilled with this so far. It is odd and has these quirky moments that make you raise the eyebrow and feel a puzzled Spock. It has this endearing quality mixed with this whole what the hell mentality to what we see that makes this really something different.
The interiors are really nice as well. Though I will say I think Dave's strength is in his writing but the interiors here are interesting. The linework is really nice and seeing how the varying weights are utilised to bring out the attention to detail is superb. The backdrop for what we see is gorgeous and I love the attention that's given and how in the vastness of space in this supposed deserted setting it is able to bring depth perception, scale and that overall sense of size and scope. The utilisation of the page layouts sand how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a great eye for storytelling. The creativity and imagination that is on display here is so gosh darn exciting and fresh to me. I like the colour work that we see. There is the illusion of colour blocking, bleeding or gradation in the space we see but it's really overlay and that is impressive. The way that the various hues and tones are utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is really delightful.
This is a great first issue to an assuming story that has more depth and layers to it than full colour pride cake. It has a stellar premise, it completely engages the reader and takes us on a mental as well visual journey you won't soon forget.
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