Scout Comics 2019
Written by Don Handfield & Joshua Malkin
Illustrated by Leno Carvalho
Coloured by Fabricio Guerra
Lettered by DC Hopkins
Magic is real, but has been outlawed for centuries, and the penalty for using it is death. Barrett Miller is the man prophesied to return it to the people. After a devastating loss to The Few who control the Source, Barrett and Mrs. Putnam escape to Salem, Massachusetts, where the witch reveals her own sinful past. Drawn from hiding by a threat to his home-town, Barrett battles to save its innocent population, sacrificing everything in the process. With all seemingly hopeless, Barrett discovers the true secret of The Source that has been hidden for centuries!
This take on magic and how it has been hidden from the world for song is one that is bloody interesting to me. Even better is the fact that humanity has forgotten that magic was real and gone about their everyday lives not knowing any better. It's like keeping the muggles in the dark about the Ministry of Magic only this is rougher, tougher and much more dramatic than teenager beating the Dark Lord in a battle involving children. Hmm. Anyhow, it really is nice to find a series that you enjoy and want to seek out, or as a reviewer one you'll order from your local shop even though you could just get a pdf to review. The downside for me is that I don't have interior pages to show you.
The way that this is structured is incredibly well done. Starting off with a dynamic eye catching opening that picks up where we left off and leading into some strong storytelling. The story & plot development through this strong pacing and even stronger character development weave in and out of each other's development to create this beautiful ebb & flow. Also there really is a fantastic sense of characterisation in the storytelling that comes in these unexpected moments that just kind of happen when you least expect them to. Plus there are a few different layers to the storytelling as well so that different angles and different folks who are all at odds with one another. I don't think any faction really has allies other then their own people and that I find fascinating.
The interiors here are fantastic! Both Leno and Fabricio do some absolutely amazing work in these pages. The linework is gorgeous and the strength of lines whether they are bold and brazen or delicate and soft all work together to bring out this wondrous attention to detail. Then there is also the imagination and creativity that is one display here is stunning. So the way we see the effects of the magic in the colour work or the effects coloured normally this work is stupendous. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off a seasoned eye for storytelling. The utilisation of the backgrounds here is bloody marvellous. Tie it all up with the colour work and ya know what this is why I LOVE small/indie press companies.
If you are going to play hero then make sure you've got a modicum of skill and talent before going out. Otherwise you are only setting yourself up for something terrible to potentially happen. Plus don't try to be a guy, guy, no one likes that no matter what Fabio's romance books say. Regardless I have to say that the spunk and gumption or Chutzpah that the boys put into this character is sensational and it makes him one easy to root for and get behind. Scout takes chances and let's creators really shine within the pages of their books. The writing is stupendous and the interior artwork is sensationally well done there's no reason you shouldn't be reading this.