IDW Publishing 2018
Written by Mike Carey
Illustrated & Lettered by Peter Gross
Coloured by Fabien Alquier
We Cordially invite you into The Highest House, the story of a slave boy named Moth, who makes friends with a powerful entity called Obsidian that promises advancement and happiness. Clearly, Obsidian has a hidden agenda, but Moth has ambitions and plans of his own...
I was shocked, appalled and utterly fascinated by the issues opening. I mean who just rolls into town and buys slaves like this? Sure it has a lot of elements of a Feudal society, which made me think England in the Middle Ages, and from what I remember of history this could have been a common practice than when a Lord needed more workers at his estate and in his fields. However in this day and age to see it well yeah it took me by surprise, which by the way is an amazing thing to see happen. Then again Mike does that a lot to me, surprise me that is.
The introduction of Moth to Cael Extat, Steward to Clan Aldercrest was something interesting in and of itself. I look forward to a few things that came out of my impression of this meeting. One is that I hope Cael himself is explored more and how and why he questioned Moth the way he did. Then to see how the relationship of pupil and student develops between them, though to be honest what happens once they all reach Highest House well that was another wrinkle in what I was thinking was to happen.
The way this book is structured and how we see the ebb & flow of the story is remarkably well done. Mike weaves this so he has the reader involved hook, line and sinker and continues to make you second guess everything that’s happen with the turn a page. Sweet bitter taste of Sarsaparilla you really turn a page here and fully grasp what is happening and it’s one of the best things about it. I mean I keep thinking hmm okay this going where I think it is but nope no-siree-bob. This makes things much more interesting and helps the reader crave the next issue to see what is going to happen.
Peter and Fabien do some spectacular work on the interiors here too. The linework is beautiful and the way it forms buildings, people and the world they live in you begin to appreciate the intricacy of it all. The way page layouts are used so that we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off why Peter’s one of the better visual storytellers. The attention to detail the strategic (more please) way backgrounds are placed it all draws your eye to a focal point and then spreads outwards so naturally. The almost there nudity is interesting but don’t be afraid to show whatever would naturally be in the shot instead of darkening an area, in this day and age if it’s not something erotically charged then no reason to hide it.
The journey that Moth is undertaking as such a young and impressionable age will shape him into a man he never knew he could be. It is one of those once in a lifetime things that you wish would’ve happened to you. There is a definite fascination to what’s going to happen and how it’s going to play out but alongside that there is a darkness, a sense of danger and even some horror that accompanies it. So it’s well balanced in ways that fuel the imagination and ignite the fires within to know more.
Wonderfully written and beautifully crafted interiors will take you to a place where betterment comes at a price.