Continuing on the theme of axioms from yesterday’s Secant… there’s certain things you never say. One of the most classic is “it can’t get any worse” or any variation therein. Thus I look at TwoKinds and the bright and chipper tone of Flora as she lists off all the horrible things that they’ve gone through with each town they visit… and then Trace’s response… and start looking for a bomb shelter because there’s nukes on the horizon.
I must admit to being conflicted by TK. The blatant portrayal of the animalistic Keidran as akin to the American Indians (to the point of there being a “thanksgiving” celebration, recently banned, as well as humanity being from overseas) got on my nerves. While it’s tradition to steal from history and work it into fiction, I prefer it to be less obvious. But I’m also absolutely fascinated as I watch Trace’s descent from the innocence brought about by amnesia. What we know of his past shows a truly evil individual, and he’s walking step by step down that path once again.
I even wonder if the love he has found for Flora, of a species his considers inferior, can temper the darkness in his soul… or if it may end up fanning the flames and bring forth an even greater darkness. For man has done some of the greatest evil in the name of love. I may have some issues with plot from time to time, but TK is still a truly intriguing look into prejudice (some of it seemingly justified at that!) and love, and helps raise the question: if an evil man loses his identity, is he reborn? Or is he destined to walk in darkness once again?
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Recently I commented on the dearth of truly unique comics out there. Most comics tend to focus on humanity and on rather mundane worlds. Even the epic tale Unicorn Jelly, by Jennifer Diane Reitz, had a human element in it for that sense of the ordinary to help offset the truly alien nature of the world they were in. But I’d be sadly remiss if I didn’t mention another comic which in many ways is even more alien than Ms. Reitz’s work.
The Chronicles of Avernyght is the latest work of Mary Mevis, of junkRiot fame, and has created a fantasy comic that is truly inspired. While it has some classic fantasy trappings (such as an evil queen ruling the land), the cast are animated rag dolls, and their very souls appear to be dreams. The artwork itself is dreamlike and evokes a feeling of other that can make this comic a bit difficult to get into. The lack of familiarity and the alien nature of the characters can make it difficult for some readers to relate to the characters. But if you’re a fan of the fantasy genre, then it’s a welcome addition to comics you read.
Writers can sometimes get pigeonholed into categories depending on what they write. That is especially true for webcartoonists as they spend years crafting a single tale. Thus it’s good to see Mevis step outside the warm familiarity of the teen romance genre and work on something that challenges her storytelling and artistic skills. No doubt in time as the story grows further, it will fill the epic trappings it has donned and Mevis will prove she’s a master of this genre as well.
