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whimpulse's review against another edition
4.0
A long-time fan here, inspired to suddenly rate this as the "Leeds-sized" physical copies chapters 1-5 finally made their way to me just recently. Also I'm falling behind on my reading challenge, and this is an easy way to catch up a little.
First off, these chapters are gorgeous. Thin as magazines and almost comically large - I never realized how big the panels are compared to each page, since I've mostly seen them through my phone's screen up until now. But I love the art, so having some big panels is fine. Normally I would've preferred thicker graphic novels that collect several chapters, but in this case I'm just delighted I can look at so many stunning front covers at once.
The UV gloss on the otherwise matte covers, the dynamic pose Persephone and Leeds are in, the bright magenta. The pages are in a semi-glossy paper that shows off the colors nicely. The new-book smell on these is awful though.
When it comes to the chapter's contents, rating is a bit tricky as they're pretty short. The first chapter also looks a little dull compared to some of the later installments, as most of the page count goes towards character introductions and story building instead of visual spectacles. And story-wise it's definitely building up the intrigue rather than instantly rewarding us. But while the characters are new and their dynamic isn't quite there yet, I feel like I was always drawn to Percy's over-the-top ferocity and raw emotions in this first chapter, and whatever I thought Leeds and Cecilia were up to when I first read it.
The chapter sets up the mood, story, setting and main characters well without dumping loads of information at once, which I feel is the most important thing a first chapter should be able to do.
First off, these chapters are gorgeous. Thin as magazines and almost comically large - I never realized how big the panels are compared to each page, since I've mostly seen them through my phone's screen up until now. But I love the art, so having some big panels is fine. Normally I would've preferred thicker graphic novels that collect several chapters, but in this case I'm just delighted I can look at so many stunning front covers at once.
The UV gloss on the otherwise matte covers, the dynamic pose Persephone and Leeds are in, the bright magenta. The pages are in a semi-glossy paper that shows off the colors nicely. The new-book smell on these is awful though.
When it comes to the chapter's contents, rating is a bit tricky as they're pretty short. The first chapter also looks a little dull compared to some of the later installments, as most of the page count goes towards character introductions and story building instead of visual spectacles. And story-wise it's definitely building up the intrigue rather than instantly rewarding us. But while the characters are new and their dynamic isn't quite there yet, I feel like I was always drawn to Percy's over-the-top ferocity and raw emotions in this first chapter, and whatever I thought Leeds and Cecilia were up to when I first read it.
The chapter sets up the mood, story, setting and main characters well without dumping loads of information at once, which I feel is the most important thing a first chapter should be able to do.
ohnoitscoco's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jenny_d's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lacee's review
3.5
This is hard to rate. Technically this is a reread for me since the entire series can be read online and is still ongoing. The story is currently in the middle of its 5th chapter as of today and it's kind of hard not to take that into consideration when reviewing this chapter. I'm currently caught up on the series but wanted to purchase the physical copies of the chapters that are available so I could support the authors and give an official review.
This chapter started it all and I wouldn't be reviewing this installment if it didn't hook me. This series's greatest strength is its characters, world, and art. This particular chapter introduces visually unique characters that have a certain allure to them. We meet the main character Percy, an angsty character down on her luck as she tries to stop a theft on a subway. She uses her magic to stop the thief with the help of a stranger (a big buff monster cutie) named Leeds. Her magic ends up doing more harm than good and she reluctantly allows Leeds to introduce her to his mysterious boss and landlord Cecilia. Once this chapter ends you will want to know more. There are characters that seem to have more going on than meets the eye and if you continue on you'll be in for a few interesting reveals.
Since Barbarous is currently a free web series I've settled on 3.5 stars for this installment but note that the series as a whole is an easy 5 stars for me. I'm a huge fan of this series but it would be irresponsible to not be critical and honest. Chapter 1 on its own isn't the best execution of an introduction. There are some panels that I remember upon my first read being a little confusing and disorienting. Though some of the confusion will be addressed in later chapters once you understand the world, the characters and their motivation. I think that's the biggest issue with this chapter. The world building is in its early stages, the magic system is vague and the reader abruptly meets characters with little understanding of where they fit in the world. You're just kind of thrown in without a lot of context.
I think this series is at an advantage for being free on the web and well past it's first chapter. You can read this chapter and immediately continue on, making most of these issues moot. It's also important to note that this was a kickstarter addition and chapters 1 and 2 are the only physical copies of this series available on the authors' merch site. If you are at all interested in reading Barbarous I would recommend you start by reading the free web series first before reading the physical copy. After you've experienced the story and if you are able, consider supporting the authors. You can still experience the story at its best while still being considerate and respectful of its creators.
This chapter started it all and I wouldn't be reviewing this installment if it didn't hook me. This series's greatest strength is its characters, world, and art. This particular chapter introduces visually unique characters that have a certain allure to them. We meet the main character Percy, an angsty character down on her luck as she tries to stop a theft on a subway. She uses her magic to stop the thief with the help of a stranger (a big buff monster cutie) named Leeds. Her magic ends up doing more harm than good and she reluctantly allows Leeds to introduce her to his mysterious boss and landlord Cecilia. Once this chapter ends you will want to know more. There are characters that seem to have more going on than meets the eye and if you continue on you'll be in for a few interesting reveals.
Since Barbarous is currently a free web series I've settled on 3.5 stars for this installment but note that the series as a whole is an easy 5 stars for me. I'm a huge fan of this series but it would be irresponsible to not be critical and honest. Chapter 1 on its own isn't the best execution of an introduction. There are some panels that I remember upon my first read being a little confusing and disorienting. Though some of the confusion will be addressed in later chapters once you understand the world, the characters and their motivation. I think that's the biggest issue with this chapter. The world building is in its early stages, the magic system is vague and the reader abruptly meets characters with little understanding of where they fit in the world. You're just kind of thrown in without a lot of context.
I think this series is at an advantage for being free on the web and well past it's first chapter. You can read this chapter and immediately continue on, making most of these issues moot. It's also important to note that this was a kickstarter addition and chapters 1 and 2 are the only physical copies of this series available on the authors' merch site. If you are at all interested in reading Barbarous I would recommend you start by reading the free web series first before reading the physical copy. After you've experienced the story and if you are able, consider supporting the authors. You can still experience the story at its best while still being considerate and respectful of its creators.
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