Aspen does a few things very well, primarily engaging with visually pleasing high fantasy comics. They never come off looking cheap or half done, though I will admit I’ve found some of the storylines to be somewhat tedious. I was never the greatest fan of Fathom for example, though I admire Mike Turner’s pencil style, rest his soul.
Their newest offering, Charismagic, came into my inbox earlier this week and I’d been putting off reading it until I had a little time to devote solely to it’s endeavor. True to form, it’s beautiful. You can tell that not all of the artwork is organic, there’s a lens flair here or there that gives away the computer manipulation and this may distract the purists to the black and white school but that’s like scorning the Mona Lisa because she doesn’t know how to smile.
As with all origin stories a little is revealed but a lot more questions are left behind. The world as we know it is a delicate fabric of lies and supernatural creatures walk amongst us. The Druids act as soothsayers but what they’re predicting everyone can already feel in their waters – something big and bad is coming.
This is fairly done stuff, but it’s made to feel at least visually original though the aforementioned brilliant artwork, Khary Randolph needs to have some kind of effigy made in their honor.
Tthe book felt short. 24 pages is the number quoted in all the promotional texts but I think that includes all the variant covers and exposition at the back – all worthy but not story. The extras are nice and appreciated, but I don’t think they should ever been included at the sacrifice of narrative. However, the history of the world and it’s entities for the last 6 pages was a good read.
If you enjoy dark fantasy in it’s various guises (Jim Butcher, Anita Blake) then this is going to feel right and you’ll wonder why it isn’t already a book you’re reading. If you prefer your sword and sorcery to occur in a far off place dominated by hairy footed dwarves and not located in a greasy spoon off the highway then you may not find this to be such rewarding pickings, but regardless you should give it a try.