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A review by tigheskye
The Backstagers: 2018 Valentine's Intermission #1 by James Tynion IV, Rian Sygh
4.0
Behind the scenes of the drama club, there is a labyrinth of rooms and hallways filled with creepy critters and questionable sofas alike – that is the world of The Backstagers Act: 1 (2107). The inhabitants design and build the sets and props for the actors of the drama club and are all but forgotten in their backstage rooms. The Backstagers not only cater to the needs of the drama club but have their own adventures out of sight and out of mind of the rest of the school. It’s the perfect place for the group of misfits to gather and find belonging.
The art in The Backstagers Act: 1 is perfectly whimsical. It’s bright and cheery, full of decidedly uplifting (and wonderfully ludicrous) colours and eye-twinkles (not a weird metaphor – there are literal stars in eyes at some points). I’m not art critic, but the best I can do is say that it made me happy – the art and the story were both so matched in tone, and a joyful one at that, it was delightful to read.The Backstagers
The fantasy element was introduced in a thoroughly tongue-in-cheek way with major questions met with shrugs and, “this is how it is so we have a good time with it” kind of nonchalant acceptance of the nature of the rooms beneath the drama club.
I’ve probably used the word ‘delightful’ a couple of times now, but here it comes again: the characters were nothing short of completely delightful. We only get a brief introduction to who I assume will be the main characters of The Backstagers as a whole, but what we see this early on is truly full of promise. The potential and the heart of it all was a breath of fresh air, appealing to my inner weird kid. The Backstagers themselves as a group are introduced as individual outsiders who have found a cozy home back stage and with each other.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Backstagers Act: 1. It’s funny, bright, and quite simply nice to look at. I certainly recommend it for a light and happy tale with some whimsical fantasy elements.
This review first appeared at Fantasy Literature.
The art in The Backstagers Act: 1 is perfectly whimsical. It’s bright and cheery, full of decidedly uplifting (and wonderfully ludicrous) colours and eye-twinkles (not a weird metaphor – there are literal stars in eyes at some points). I’m not art critic, but the best I can do is say that it made me happy – the art and the story were both so matched in tone, and a joyful one at that, it was delightful to read.The Backstagers
The fantasy element was introduced in a thoroughly tongue-in-cheek way with major questions met with shrugs and, “this is how it is so we have a good time with it” kind of nonchalant acceptance of the nature of the rooms beneath the drama club.
I’ve probably used the word ‘delightful’ a couple of times now, but here it comes again: the characters were nothing short of completely delightful. We only get a brief introduction to who I assume will be the main characters of The Backstagers as a whole, but what we see this early on is truly full of promise. The potential and the heart of it all was a breath of fresh air, appealing to my inner weird kid. The Backstagers themselves as a group are introduced as individual outsiders who have found a cozy home back stage and with each other.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Backstagers Act: 1. It’s funny, bright, and quite simply nice to look at. I certainly recommend it for a light and happy tale with some whimsical fantasy elements.
This review first appeared at Fantasy Literature.