Reviews

Ok, wow, that was cool. I really enjoyed this! To start, good gravy, the art is amazing and gorgeous and cinematic and just drop-dead fabulous! The spreads are done in two-page landscape format, which is gonna annoy some people, and understandably so: if you're trying to read a digital copy (as I did), it's a bit of a chore zooming in and out, plus it can be a little difficult following the trail of the story (print or digital) as the path doesn't always travel the same way. Minor peeves aside, I quite liked the landscape format, I loved the way the art flowed across the pages. Each issue has bookend materials, including a running interview between a journalist and the Wizard (our antagonist), so expect 2 pages partially filled with text at the end of each part. This will also annoy some people, because God forbid we have to read a small bit in an otherwise heavily illustrated book! Seriously, it's not that much reading, and it adds another level of detail to the story, put on your big reader glasses and deal with it. Speaking of the story, it's a slow burn despite all the action sequences, with just enough plot teased out to keep me on the hook. We get plopped down into the story without any idea what's going on, and learn as we go (do read the introduction - it doesn't have spoilers, but it offers some things to think about while reading that did help me enjoy the story more). There's a familiar-in-a-way protagonist with a mysterious past who's part of a group of misfits who aren't necessarily good people, but aren't really bad either, a probably evil protagonist and his terrifying daughter, various questionable characters, some scary monsters, and a metaphysicist who offers help and guidance; none of the characters are what I'd call well fleshed out, but we do get to know them well enough to be interested in them. The worldbuilding is organic rather than info-dumpy, and I thought it well done - I wish I could visit Metamaru Mountain, but alas... The story ends with the usual non-ending, since there's more to come, and I look forward to the next volume eagerly! Oh, the back matter: there's some nice black and white versions of some spreads, covers, and the most comprehensive creator playlists I've ever seen - pages and pages (ok, 13) of every bit of music Williams listened to while working on each chapter, complete with format (mostly vinyl, with colored vinyl noted with color). Even this annoyed one reviewer; apparently knowing the format and vinyl color was "infuriating," though I found it interesting; we Gen X-ers do love our vinyl, dontcha know.
Overall, this was amazing, any gripes I have are too small to really affect my enjoyment of this book, but I do acknowledge some readers might be put off by the landscape format. There is violence and gore, I've seen worse though. Read this if you don't mind getting little hints rather than big ones, you like dystopic worlds with scifi/fantasy elements, and are cool with a medium-slow burn. And the art. If nothing else get this for that sweet, sweet art!

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