Horizon Zero Dawn: Liberation #01
Titan Comics 2021
Story by Ben McCaw
Written by Anne Toole
Illustrated by Elmer Damaso
Coloured by Bryan Valenza
Lettered by Jim Campbell
Aloy and Erend fend off deadly machines as the pair hunt down an Oseram tribe member’s killer!
I know this is based off a video game but honestly as someone who doesn’t play them this is one of those series where the story we see is so gosh darn good that it doesn’t matter that I haven’t played it. For me this is a complete stand alone series and I am thoroughly enjoying every single moment of it. The more we see of the world and the characters the more intrigued and interested I become and that is precisely what a good story is supposed to do. It grabs the readers attention, holds their interest and leaves them wanting to see and know more about them. This issue is great because not only do we get to see some great backstory happening but it is also filled with action so that the story is as well balanced as it possibly could be.
I am loving the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well. The character development we see though the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter make the way are portrayed as people we know, or know of or simply empathise with is magnificently rendered. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, the characters and the world which they inhabit we are drawn into their lives beautifully.
I greatly appreciate how we see this being structured and how the layers within the story emerge and grow. The layers contain the characterisation and plot twists that may or may not work with the main arc but definitely add depth, dimension and complexity to the story. Also it is really something to see how the bonds of friendship grow here as the pair walk this path together. How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved incredibly well.
I am a huge fan of the interior artwork here as well. The linework is exquisite and to see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level and quality of detail work is mind numbing. That we see backgrounds utilised as we do throughout the book makes me so incredibly happy as they flesh out this world and enhance the moments. They also work within the composition in the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the story. I’m also a fan of the creativity and imagination that is on display here whether it’s the style of dress or the mechanical beasts in the coliseum style fighting arena. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a exceptionally talented eye for storytelling. The colour work is brilliantly rendered here. The various hues and tones within the colours that are being utilised ot create the shading, highlights and shadow work show someone with this innate understanding of how to maximise the affect that colour can have.
The more I see and the more I learn the more I want to know. These are amazingly interesting people have found each other and need each other in way I’m not sure they even realise. Vengeance is cold and lonely path and on the other hand answers don’t always come the way you want them to, hence the old adage “be careful what you wish for because you just might get it” comes into play. With strong intelligent writing and utterly gorgeous interiors have made this a smart, witty and thoroughly enjoyable read.
Titan Comics 2021
Story by Ben McCaw
Written by Anne Toole
Illustrated by Elmer Damaso
Coloured by Bryan Valenza
Lettered by Jim Campbell
Aloy and Erend fend off deadly machines as the pair hunt down an Oseram tribe member’s killer!
I know this is based off a video game but honestly as someone who doesn’t play them this is one of those series where the story we see is so gosh darn good that it doesn’t matter that I haven’t played it. For me this is a complete stand alone series and I am thoroughly enjoying every single moment of it. The more we see of the world and the characters the more intrigued and interested I become and that is precisely what a good story is supposed to do. It grabs the readers attention, holds their interest and leaves them wanting to see and know more about them. This issue is great because not only do we get to see some great backstory happening but it is also filled with action so that the story is as well balanced as it possibly could be.
I am loving the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well. The character development we see though the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter make the way are portrayed as people we know, or know of or simply empathise with is magnificently rendered. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, the characters and the world which they inhabit we are drawn into their lives beautifully.
I greatly appreciate how we see this being structured and how the layers within the story emerge and grow. The layers contain the characterisation and plot twists that may or may not work with the main arc but definitely add depth, dimension and complexity to the story. Also it is really something to see how the bonds of friendship grow here as the pair walk this path together. How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved incredibly well.
I am a huge fan of the interior artwork here as well. The linework is exquisite and to see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level and quality of detail work is mind numbing. That we see backgrounds utilised as we do throughout the book makes me so incredibly happy as they flesh out this world and enhance the moments. They also work within the composition in the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and that overall sense of size and scope to the story. I’m also a fan of the creativity and imagination that is on display here whether it’s the style of dress or the mechanical beasts in the coliseum style fighting arena. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a exceptionally talented eye for storytelling. The colour work is brilliantly rendered here. The various hues and tones within the colours that are being utilised ot create the shading, highlights and shadow work show someone with this innate understanding of how to maximise the affect that colour can have.
The more I see and the more I learn the more I want to know. These are amazingly interesting people have found each other and need each other in way I’m not sure they even realise. Vengeance is cold and lonely path and on the other hand answers don’t always come the way you want them to, hence the old adage “be careful what you wish for because you just might get it” comes into play. With strong intelligent writing and utterly gorgeous interiors have made this a smart, witty and thoroughly enjoyable read.
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