The Hues Vol. 1by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 7 Aliens attack Earth. Sami survives thanks to an awakened power within herself. She finds a couple other similarly-powered girls, and together they make their way back to Sami's house, which mysteriously survived the attack as well. They have a face-to-face encounter with the aliens.I'm glad I found this webcomic after it was already established, as I was able to read from the beginning midway through volume three. Volume one starts rather slowly (it feels slower than it is, given the nature of webcomics), but there is a consistent build from beginning to end. I'm shocked at the level of devastation the aliens cause, and there is some plot convenience on how people and supplies survived. We meet four of the main characters in volume one, which provides a nice base, and allows us to get a real feel for the magical-girl side of the story. We also get an up-close look at the aliens, who are a bit stereotypical in their villain-ego. Their design is interesting (reminding me of the Grand Councilwoman from Lilo & Stitch). Sami is easy to identify with, as seemingly just an average girl. I also like that her power is mysterious and that we get to see what it's capable of, though she has the least control out of all the magical girls we meet in this volume. I'm very curious about what her mom knew about all this; the cryptic message she leaves provides some direction, but no answers or real assistance. I love Andrea; she's like a warm-hearted badass. She's tough, but she's kind, too. Her empath abilities work well with her personality. Hannah seems very grunge to me, and her design is so strikingly different from the others that it stood out rather awkwardly. By the end of the volume, I appreciated her differences (physical and personality) more, and I like that the fire-powered girl is reserved rather than a hot-head! Lauren is the last girl we meet in volume one. She's brash and snarky and stubbornly a lone wolf, and in this volume she has trouble adjusting to everything (except her electrical power). They are all different body shapes and skin tones, which makes them much more interesting and realistic. Plus, the diversity lets all readers identify with someone! I like the art a lot. The character designs are great, and their movements and expressions are realistic and natural, though the art itself has a rounded, almost-cartoony look that's very aesthetically pleasing. I love how the backgrounds are faded but easily recognizable, adding depth and another level of realism to the settings without competing with what the characters are doing. Coloring and shading are fantastic, tackling all skin tones well! Volume one is a good opener -- a bit slow, but solid. Written: March 9, 2016
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