Zenescope Entertainment 2019
Written by Raven Gregory
Illustrated by Allan Otero
Coloured by Robby Bevard
Lettered by Taylor Esposito of Ghost Glyph Studios
PART 1 OF 5
Liesel Van Helsing returns in a brand new series that is set to shake the inventive huntress to her core. A mysterious being, hell-bent on revenge, rises from Helsing’s long forgotten past with secrets that could very well destroy Helsing and all she holds dear.
I love Liesel and I love Raven and the two together makes for an insanely good time, throw in Allan and lord have mercy on my soul you know this is an automatic book to have. After reading this issue I can confirm what I just said a hundredfold. This is fantastic and that we get to see such a fine story told with restraint and thoughtfulness is such a joy. The opening here is a perfect example of this as a mysterious figure breaks into Liesel's safe-house and this is Liesel so you know that this place is guarded to the nines. Still this does precisely what it's supposed to do, it grabs the readers' attention and makes them want to see more.
The way that this is being told is extremely well done and how the pacing picks up the story & plot development and the character development and creates this ebb & flow to the book just speaks volumes. Raven is such a talented writer and he's got this amazing sense of how the story should be structured and how to create that ebb & flow and for me personally it's such a joy to see this. Also the way that we see the characterisation here is marvellous! The dialogue, the actions and reactions of the characters tell us who they are and what they are about. This way we get a really good sense of what drives, motivates and makes them who they are and that is incredible thing to be able to for storytelling of any kind.
There are moments throughout this book where I absolutely adore what I am seeing. That the demons refer to the many different factions running around hunting them all or when she was called a living steampunk brat. Those references are the kinds of things that we notice giggle over and then move on but it's also those little things that keep us coming back time and time again because we love that they are there.
Allan's work on the interiors here are bloody marvellous and the way he brings out this attention to detail here through the varying line weights is simply stunning. That laser grid never stood a chance. I have itsy bitsy thing though seriously her ass cheeks through that coat, c'mon now. Otherwise the creativity and imagination that is one display here is phenomenal. I love the way we see the treasure trove or trophies or items too dangerous to be out in public, ala Warehouse 13, is just a dream come true and I so want to explore it. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective I the panels show off Allan's eye for storytelling, which is stupendous I might add. The colour work here is stunning and just seems to enhance the linework with exceptional ease. The subtlety that we as well as the boldness of the colours, the variations within the hues and tones are sensational to see in practical application.
Forget what you know about Zenescope because they've become this utterly amazing place to find intelligent, smart and entertaining books. Raven's return heralds a bold new era for storytelling if what I see here is any indication and I got news people this isn't something you want to sleep on or miss. First issue of an arc, it's new reader friendly, and it is an utter delight to see and read pick one up now!