Image Comics 2019
Created & Written by Darcy Van Poelgeest
Created & Illustrated by Ian Bertram
Coloured by Matt Hollingsworth
Lettered by Aditya Bidikar
Director/screenwriter DARCY VAN POELGEEST boasts a long list of awards and accolades for his storytelling prowess and brings the same writing finesse to IAN BERTRAM's breathtakingly detailed artwork in the gorgeous, hyper-detailed miniseries LITTLE BIRD. With the same limitless scope as a new EAST OF WEST or SAGA and the drama and surrealism of Akira, LITTLE BIRD follows a young resistance fighter who battles against an oppressive American Empire and searches for her own identity in a world on fire.
Here is a perfect example of how the crossover between films and comics benefit each other in great ways. We are all familiar with how comics are taken to the entertainment arena which is how some writers gain a stronger, broader fanbase, here its the opposite we have a writer who has chosen to work in this field after being quite successful in others. I love this aspect and honestly I love this book. It has the elements of a coming of age story a well as historical fiction with an added thriller kind of vibe. It is as eclectic as can be and that’s like me as well. This first issue is a spectacular introduction into this world.
Her mother called her Little Bird and that’s apropos to not only what we see with the visuals but the ideas behind them. There is this whole idea swirling around here that is familiar and yet foreign and it’s this mixture of that which is enticing to the reader, It has that effect upon you where you want, nay need, to see what’s coming next. The ebb & flow of the book and how it’s structured is beautifully done as we navigate the issue, are introduced to the characters and establish this kind of understanding of how things in this world work. It isn’t a full or complete understanding by any stretch of the imagination and that’s great because it engages the readers mind as it tries to fill in the gaps. This means we become incredibly invested in the book very quickly which also ensures that the reader will be back to not follow along but to see if their own suppositions are accurate.
Good golly miss Molly the work on the interiors here are beyond reproach. The intricacy of the linework is gorgeous as it brings out the attention to detail for us. Then there is this crazy good expression of creativity and imagination that we get to see. That scene in the New Vatican where he’s taking that bath is something that will stay with me for some time to come. Still it’s a nice homage to Elizabeth Bathory. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show us this amazing eye for storytelling. The way the backgrounds we see utilised here really brings forth the size and scope of the book and enhances the moments that we see. The colour work here too is marvellous to see. The pops of colour that deviate from the muted tones the feeling of oppression as well as that of hope and determination it brings is invaluable to the story.
I didn’t know what to expect from this story and what I found was extraordinary. There twists and turns and horrors that should be beyond expectation and I have to say that while I find incredibly disturbing I am also infinitely fascinated at the same time. For someone who will watch horror films from A’s to Z’s in quality this, this ranks up there with the best when it comes to shock and awe value. The writing here is strong, the story & plot development, pacing and characterisation are sensationally well done. Add in this level and quality of interior artwork and holy mackerel I am shivering in my boots!