It has been over a month since The Phoenix Requiem launched, and Sarah Ellerton continues to amaze me with how much her skills have grown. The improvements in her artwork is easy to notice; what strikes me is not the skill of her backgrounds or the depths of detail (both of which are better than what most professional print cartoonists can put forth), but in the poses and blocking utilized as Ellerton shows her story. Indeed, her ability with drawn facial expressions and body language alone allow Ellerton to reveal a story with a minimum of words. In some ways I feel like TPR is more a movie we’re glimpsing moments of rather than a traditional webcomic.

One way this is evident lies with the camera angles Ellerton uses when telling her tale. Ellerton is no stranger to utilizing differing camera angles in telling her tale; Inverloch contained several shifts in camera angle near the end of that story. Far too many comics rely on static shots kept level with the characters faces. Part of this is due to the (relative) ease of drawing people from that angle; utilizing differing angles and perspectives often requires some level of artistic training to accomplish. The use of an overhead shot is noteworthy in and of itself; combine in such details as the close-up of Robyn’s hand as he eases himself quietly into a chair before waking Anya… and the art shifts from noteworthy to cinematic in nature.

Indeed, the cinematic nature of TPR is evident throughout the first chapter, with the character of Anya being established fairly early, as well as her apparent disinterest in Robyn (and his silent observation and interest in Anya’s regard to the point that he dumps out his drink after overhearing Anya complaining about drunkedness at the All Souls’ Night celebration). Ellerton has managed to capture the personalities of several characters even with a minimum of dialogue; Robyn’s attraction to Anya is easy enough to see, but his actions also hint at a trace of mischievousness (which may also explain Anya’s disdain toward Robyn as she seems a fairly serious young lady who considers such behavior unseemly). It’s these little touches that have helped bring The Phoenix Requiem to life, and make it a worthy successor for Inverloch.