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destdest's review
4.0
There's a lot going on here, but I liked reading it, I think. From RPG tropes, existentialism(?), philosophy, time loops, man playing God, and searching for a purpose/higher meaning, this story tries to tackle it.
3.5
3.5
tinkeringlibrarian's review
2.0
Thank you to Iron Circus for the ARC of this graphic novel in exchange for my review. If you've got a teen/young adult who's a huge WoW, LoL or D&D fan, just hand them this comic straight away! Penultimate Quest is the story of three characters, our merry band of adventurers, stranded on a magical island that can nominally build whatever people desire, but in practice makes an endless dungeon--a heaven that grows old cycle after cycle. Gritty, bold linework and simple coloring give this comic a '80s underground comic kind of feel that I think aligns well with its subject matter and its target audience.
Plot-wise, this comic struggles to accomplish an enjoyable narrative because of how hung-up the author seems to be on pushing across its moral--that the company makes the journey, with a strong dose of striving separates one from the nirvana they could otherwise experience. The first half of the graphic novel is a real slog, as we follow a main character who's also tiring of the dungeon-themed paradise and looking for fulfillment in knowledge, pleasure, creation, etc. Various characters are stand-ins for life philosophies (namely hedonism, stoicism, nihilism and pessimism).
This comic does succeed in its aim of being a dungeon-crawl plus, but the heavy-handedness and random Shakespeare quotes make it come across as 'stoner deep,' rather than the alternative, which I think will really narrow the appeal. Teens and young adults being exposed to these meaning of life discussions for the first time may find them highly appealing. 2.5 stars.
Plot-wise, this comic struggles to accomplish an enjoyable narrative because of how hung-up the author seems to be on pushing across its moral--that the company makes the journey, with a strong dose of striving separates one from the nirvana they could otherwise experience. The first half of the graphic novel is a real slog, as we follow a main character who's also tiring of the dungeon-themed paradise and looking for fulfillment in knowledge, pleasure, creation, etc. Various characters are stand-ins for life philosophies (namely hedonism, stoicism, nihilism and pessimism).
This comic does succeed in its aim of being a dungeon-crawl plus, but the heavy-handedness and random Shakespeare quotes make it come across as 'stoner deep,' rather than the alternative, which I think will really narrow the appeal. Teens and young adults being exposed to these meaning of life discussions for the first time may find them highly appealing. 2.5 stars.
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