Hero Tomorrow Comics 2018
Written & Lettered by Ted Sikora
Illustrated by Nikolaus Harrison
Coloured by David Baf Gallart & Ted Sikora
Actress Nikki St Clair was the sweetest gal in the city until she was cast in a horror show musical as the Tap Dance Killer. Now, unable to shake the role, this 1920s-esque bizarre mobster assassin is out on the streets dealing damage with a theatrical flair that leaves 'em, quite literally, slain in the isles! This first issue also features the first appearance of a knockout new villain!
Well I will say that the opening here is one that certainly captures the readers attention beautifully. A daring jailbreak in broad daylight is one of the most unusual things to occur and it made me as a reader want to know about this woman and what her story is. It doesn’t take long for Ted to decide to fill us in on what got here there to begin with. It feels like a two-part opening one is present day the other a short while back to get us into the groove. I am not sure I have seen this done this way before at least at this level and I like it it has some chutzpah and leaves a whole lot of questions unanswered.
So there is a whole lot going on here and very little in the way of explanation. Okay I get how all this came about and the ramifications thereof but how long of a crime spree did the trio have before it all went south? I found it interesting to see that her time behind bars were not pleasant, well the men she killed had women in the prison who were lovers or related to them so she was marked off the bat. Also that it gave her a chance to find something she wasn’t aware of about what she was capable of. The way it is all presented is well done and the book for all it’s little imperfections is structured very well.
I am also pretty impressed with the sheer number of characters that introduced in this issue. I mean some come naturally and this weird vibe coming off them and others well they are “in place” in Nikki’s life already. Regardless there is this range of folks who do what they do and some for reasons of their own and for others they have no choice, at least for now. I mean Nikki knew that the band was back together and found em easily enough but then I wasn’t sure how long she’d been this criminal, mind controlled or not. So that she’s back to seek assistance from them because of her rather precarious situation well I was a tad confused.
I love the work that Nikolaus does on the interiors here! The linework is exceptional and the attention to detail makes my heart sing because the backgrounds are given as much attention in that regard as the characters themselves. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a strong eye for storytelling. The creativity and imagination that we see is fantastic and the creepy clown aspect well it’s over the top well done. I am liking the way that we see bold and subtle and everything in between in these pages.
Mysterious, manipulative and magically entertaining this works for me on so many levels. The writing, plot/story development with some solid characterisation lead the way for us to become involved in what we see. The unanswered questions that surround certain aspects leave the reader hanging but ensure that they come back to find out what those answers are. The interiors are such a modern day classic style that is beyond delightful to see.
Hero Tomorrow Comics is one company that you need to tell your brick & mortar store to order for you, or have added to your subscription service.