Bizenghast #1by Kat AvilaReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk.
Publisher
Credits Grade: 7 It's different, which is why I picked up a copy of M. Alice LeGrow's gothic horror drama Bizenghast, even though I'm a bit leery of Ameri-manga since it's still very much in a growing stage. LeGrow's uncommon intelligence and creativity are apparent from the cover where the lead character Dinah is "playing" her violin-like body.Dinah Wherever is a sensitive orphan who lives with her aunt Jane Addison at the site of what once was St. Lyman's School for Boys. The place is haunted, and Dinah's cuts and bruises might be caused by malicious spirits. She has a similarly aged friend Vincent Monroe who stands by her during her schizophrenic fits. Eventually, Dinah may be hospitalized and placed under 24-hour care. Exploring the woods around their home in Bizenghast, Massachusetts, Dinah and Vincent come upon an unusual mausoleum, a processing center for stuck spirits. Their unwise curiosity results in Dinah getting tricked into a contract where she must assist the grotesque caretakers or "cleaners" in freeing souls. Her failure could mean the loss of her life and her becoming one of the cleaners. Though not contract-bound, Vincent valiantly assists the damsel in distress. The prickly spider- and court jester-like Bali-Lali supervises the cleaners. (What a great entrance on page 35!) Bali-Lali informs Dinah that she must solve the riddles on the markers, to complete one each night to enter the restless spirit's dream world, to release them from their suffering. M. Alice LeGrow's storytelling skills have matured ahead of her still unstable drawing skills. There are moments of visual brilliance, but her intellect-controlled drawing results more in functional illustrative lines rather than stylistic beautiful lines. This is a very minute criticism given that most readers will be impressed by her exciting creative designs and the strong detail in her best drawings. I almost miss color while reading Bizenghast. I would love to see the character Bali-Lali in color! Other pages that would be awesome with color are page 58 (release of Cagey's spirit), the double-page layout on pages 78 and 79 (ghosts dancing in the ballroom), and maybe page 128 (release of children's spirits from water prison). For a lead character, Dinah is weak and selfish. It is difficult to sympathize with her. I probably wouldn't have kept reading except for the interesting horrific dream worlds Dinah and Vincent visit. At the end of Bizenghast is a belligerent note that makes M. Alice LeGrow sound really snotty. The creator wasn't aware of it until she received a copy of the graphic novel. On her personal web site, LeGrow writes, "That comment in the back of the book about my not wanting people to cosplay BZG characters unless they do them right? Yeah, I NEVER SAID THAT." She loves cosplayers whatever their skill level and would never discourage cosplayers from dressing up as her characters. It would be fun to see some BZG characters at the next Anime Expo! Written: August 23, 2005
|
||
|
Home |
Features |
Columns |
Culture Vultures |
Report Card
Indicia | Contact | Archives © Sequential Tart, 1998 – 2021 |
||
