Boom! Studios 2019
Written by Matt Kindt
Illustrated by Matt Smith
Coloured by Chris O'Halloran
Lettered by Jim Campbell
Against the order of his village, Ansel strikes out to find the Folklords, the only beings that can explain his visions of another world. But the forest is even more dark and terrible than he was told, and Ansel meets two very different women who will change his life—one way or another—forever.
This story is such a cute idea. That Ansel dreams of our world and through those dreams he makes himself clothing such as suits and a backpack is pretty impressive to me. That his quest was hijacked by someone else before he could declare it as his the town went into lock-down. Why would those in charge of the town want to keep the legend of the Folklords from anyone wishing to learn from them? What secrets do they hold that would destroy life in the town as they know it? Or if it is just a fairy tale why react so harshly? Matt brought us a number of questions to be asked and hopefully as the story moves forward. This is how Matt gets you hooked though, he creates one hell of a premise and sprinkles just enough information to make you wonder and before you know it it's a book you cannot do without.
I love the way that this is being told. The story & plot development we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is expertly laid down. This issue in particular shows us the way a story can unfold in such an intriguing yet natural way. The character development we are seeing is perfectly done as well. The more that Ansel and Archer talk to each other we learn and more about them and this opens up a world of possibilities for where it can go and that's fantastic. The pacing is strong and carries us seamlessly through it's pages as the twists and turns pop up before us creating a sensational ebb & flow. The way that this is book is structured is perfectly on point and it makes this such a joy to be reading.
I like Matt's work on the interiors here the more I see them. He definitely has a great style to his work and how he envisions the way things should unfold is extremely nice to see. The linework is gorgeous and how the varying weights and techniques are utilised to bring the attention to detail front and centre is beautiful. The forest as we see it is another character and quietly alive and essential to this book and that's amazing. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show such a talented eye for storytelling. The colour work here is also so nicely done. The trees, grass, leaves and all the hues and tones of greens and yellows are mesmerising to the eye. Plus I have to say that tree with the newborn elves sigh that I cannot get out of my mind.
This is something that I would never have thought of and that Matt did and he has this passion and love for this story shines through on every page. This has all the awe and wonder of a world full of Grimm Fairy Tales, the way they were meant to be not the disney-fied version we see today. It's unique, different, without like, equal or parallel.