Titan Comics 2017
Written by Barbara Canepa
Illustrated by Alessandro Barbucci
On the planet Sudra, all the religions throughout the known universe are practiced, creating a paradise of tolerance and freedom. For Noa, this freedom means a chance at a new start, as she performs minor miracles in the street, allowing her to scrape a living. She may finally be free from outside control – but she’s keeping secrets from those she loves. When she realizes trouble is coming, her past comes back to haunt her, and she is forced to face the truth about who, and what, she really is...
Gosh the first thing you notice is the artwork as the first page hits you with this beauty, imagination and creativity that is breathtaking. That it goes along so well with the writing and description of this world the characters find themselves a part of now is amazing to see. What Alessandro does here is sublime as his use of page layouts through angles, perspective and use of backgrounds here really bring this to life. There’s so much subtle beauty on display here it really is something to behold.
This is my first exposure to Sky Doll and while this is a continuation of what’s come before you can easily join this story. It’s completely new reader friendly and as the narration and story unfold before us I find that it’s incredibly easy to follow and understand what is happening within these pages. I like the way that the story is structured and how we meet the characters and get to know them. This is smartly written to maximise the space it’s told in so that we can get the best impact possible. I get these characters, I see who they are and the whole idea of the planet they are on and how it’s seen by them is beyond intriguing.
The fact that Noa is running away from her past and finds that she cannot is something we all have to deal with and thus it’s easily identifiable with. That connection to her while kind of ambiguous for a first time reader is still strong enough that I found it easy to empathise with her. That and the fact that they are trying to keep a low profile because they did run from their home and feel like they are wanted individuals things about their personalities make sense.
There’s real life problems and situations that are cleverly wrapped up in this fantasy world that let’s you know you aren’t alone. Nothing is too great that can’t be dealt with and that finding those few true souls to spend your time and life with are what will get you through the painful, hard and joyfully happy times. So far beautifully told.