One thing that I’ve noticed about a number of comics is how many comics have casts that are fairly similar to one another. Facial features, height, build… sometimes the characters are similar enough that you could cut off one character’s head, put on the second, and be unable to tell the difference. Thus when Tales of Pylea introduced an elvish priestess who not only was significantly shorter than the male lead, but whose facial features (and body build for that matter) differed from other characters previously depicted, I immediately took notice. And while I’m a bit uncertain as to her characterization (due to my own preconceptions of how elves look and act after reading dozens of Tolkien-inspired fantasies), I still have to applaud A. Chow and Matt Summers for an elf that doesn’t look like just another pointy-haired human.

While this isn’t the first time Chow has drawn characters of varied heights (seeing that Tales of Pylea is a fantasy comic, naturally enough we’d run across halflings and gnomes… and we do), what made this elf stand out was the triangular nature of her facial features and ears, and a realistic depiction of a female body that helps enhance the not-quite-human aspects of the character. Chow’s got a good grasp of anatomy in her characters (a skill more webcartoonists need to embrace; seriously, gang, taking a course on anatomy in art will help, whether you draw in the realistically, anime/manga, or have a unique style) and this shows in both her male and female characters.

One area where Tales of Pylea is a tad lacking is in its intermittent colors. This is unfortunate as while Chow may feel her coloring is inadequate, it still adds tremendously to the strip. Considering the amount of time it takes to color a strip, I can understand why Chow has shifted mostly to a black and white format, with occasional experiments in greyscale and various artistic styles. However, Chow has continued to intermittently color comics when it suits her fancy, which frankly tends to disrupt the flow of the comic. Fortunately, this disruption is minimal and the combination of artwork and a intriguing storyline makes this a fascinating comic to read.