Top Cow Productions/Image Comics 2018
Created by Melita Curphy
Written by Singgih Nugroho & Ryan Cady
Illustrated by Sami Basri
Coloured by Sakti Yuwono
Lettered by Jaka Ady
In an alternate world where Earth is populated with powerful human-spirit hybrids called Fantasmen, Folke and Roisia Herviett, two siblings with opposing worldviews, are challenged to prove their worth and take up their parents’ positions in a devious group who secretly run the world. Meanwhile, Seraphim, a Fantasmen warrior guard, is sent to prevent a catastrophic event from affecting the Earth and its own universe.
The idea behind this is intriguing and the world these Fantasmen come from is something that is being explored in a way that I like. Bodiless beings made of energy who have the technology and knowledge beyond our comprehension caught up in the very thing that makes that inherent need to conquer, expand and control is unexpected. Usually when this kind of stuff comes around they are beyond peaceful and into the whole judging other races for their behaviour so that this is like it is for me is a great way to go.
I do like how this is structured while at first I thought that perhaps too much time was spent on introducing us to this turns out the more we get the more I found it works. So it does rush a bit because when the Fantasmen come to earth it looks like it’s during the Civil War so I wish we’d seen a more definitive timeline for their arrival. More so since we see a lot of advancement in the technology and such that it makes you wonder how much sooner they got to a where they are. If that rambling made sense great if not read the issue and you’ll get it.
This also a chance for Sami and Sakti to really shine on the interiors. The imagination and creativity that we see in what become known as the various levels of Dissonance is wonderful. That they also use this hybridisation and it resembles a variety of animal wildlife that is recognisable to Earth and to the Fantasmen is a union that visually makes quite the statement. The use of page layouts with the way we see the angles and perspective in the panels is extremely well done. Backgrounds are hit or miss and with how we see them it makes me wish that they were used in all of the panels.
So we not only get to see how the world has been kind of created and how these two species are working together to “run” earth is only explored peripherally and that leaves the door wide open which is a smart move. Also I will wholeheartedly admit that the sibling rivalry and their independent issues adds an element I wasn’t expecting. Not quite Dynasty level, yet, but it is darn close and adding that to idea behind the Dissonance well it expands everything in a way that adds the right kind of drama.
I really like the way the inclusion of J.Riko and Seraphim as we get to see them in their “natural” state instead of bonded to a human. It both adds another part of the story and makes you sit up and wonder how this is going to cross into what else we’ve seen as well give J.Riko a chance to show the newbie, Seraphim is recently arrived on Earth, how the people of earth have reacted to their presence. The acceptance is nice and the whole racial purity folks yeah unfortunately they still exist and I guess there will always be those who oppose everything regardless of how the government and technology benefit their lives.
Exciting, engaging and visually creative and beautiful this is another stellar debut from Top Cow and it’s nice to see them doing some strong storytelling in unexpected ways.