The Interactivesby Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 9 This review is of an advance copy that is not 100% complete (no forward or intro yet).Fantasy creatues from The Realm are breaking through to The Real in Britain. In this new and unusual war, it's up to geek blogger scallywag and his online followers to do something about it. In order to win, imagination must be unleashed! The opening is epic. An unlikely band of humans are using magical amethyst energy to fight dragons. Real dragons. Once your attention has been captured, the author spends a few pages filling us in on how our intrepid heroes found themselves here. Then, it's back to dragon fighting. Already we can see the different personalities shine through thanks to their clothing, body language, comments and interactions with each other. I'm slightly annoyed that the lone girl is the one who gets carried off by the dragon, thus needing the four male members of the team to rush off to her rescue. She's the otaku that's into mecha, and she's the one that has to get carried off only so she can fall into the arms of the rocker guy (thankfully, I think they make a cute couple, and I quite enjoy the rest of their interactions). The author also redeems himself from this stereotype by that the fact that her interest and power is a giant mecha. The guys have a pilot, a knight, a musical, emo angel and a child (though, these are fitting and cool in their own ways). So yeah, she rocks! The art and coloring are amazing. Purple’s my favorite color, so maybe I’m a little biased, but I love the use of that color. There’s a lot of it, but it’s not overwhelming or tiresome (despite the seemingly unplanned color coordination of their outfits in the last battle). Great job shading the clothing and all the nuances in the mythical creatures. The people are fantastic with great details that make them unique and real. Superb body mechanics too. Our heroes are comprised of a scruffy guy, a chubby gamer, the clear-cut computer geek, the long-haired, tall, dark rocker and the cute girl with purple hair and striped socks. The odd grouping actually works. What impresses me most is the myriad of fantasy creatures. There's such a wonderful variety and they are drawn so well. I love the group shot where Legend is talking to these creatures, riling them up for war. These fay folk look real, but also scary, which is how they should look. I love how evil the unicorn looks! I also enjoy thumbing back through to look at all these great monsters again and again after I've finished the story. So often I find artists that are great at people or humanoids or animals, but to find one that can draw all of them so well is a real treat. Having the con-goers join in the battle is a great idea. It works so well with the story, and it supports the main team very well. I like the use of dead figures to portray Myth. It's humorous and still tied to the story, albeit loosely. I'm still a little confused by scallywag's little boy. Why isn't he purple like everyone else's powers? Why does he seem lost and so disconnected from scallywag? Why does his special, magical shirt have a US flag on it and the rest of the story is based in Britain? Overall, the story wraps up well, if a bit quickly and cleanly. I just wish I understood the American shirt-kid angle better. I love the extra story at the end! "Seniors" is about two old men, now bound to wheelchairs, find themselves at the same nursing home. In their younger days they were enemies: Captain Courage and Doomhawk. Now, their battles take on a much simpler form, showing a bond created from a lifetime of interaction. The art is in black, white and lovely gray shades, adding a wonderful element of history to the story and makes it timeless. The art is very realistic, but I love that the expressions are just a tad bit exaggerated. The superhero / villain designs are classic and old school, but definitely intriguing. It's a fun extra that compliments the main story well. I would definitely read more comics from both this author and artist. It's a powerful combination that shows the true power of imagination. Written: June 27, 2011
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