|
MERIDIAN #20
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
|
CrossGen Comics
Writer: Barbara Kesel
Pencils: Steve McNiven
Inks: Tom Simmons
Colors: Morry Hollowell
Letters: Troy Peteri & Dave Lanphear
Price: $2.95 US/$4.50 CAN |
This is the moment I've been dreading, ever since CrossGen first announced its existence to the comic-book industry, even before they published their first comics. The running motif of the yin-yang sigil and the shared universe concept... I worried it would lead to crossovers that would get in the way of stories. With the appearance of the protagonist from Sigil in this comic book, that concern has been realized, but the forced crossover isn't as disruptive as I expected it to be.
The Demetrian rebels, led by Sephie, clash with a fleet of Cadadorian sky ships sent by Minister Ilahn. In the midst of the chaos, though, a figure appears... a man bearing a sigil like Sephie's on his chest. He is Samandahl Rey, a warrior from another planet. He joins with Sephie and her friends, and he tries to teach them that when one is at war, there is no room for mercy or kindness.
Though there were a couple of brief sequences that were difficult to follow, McNiven continues to convey the grace and beauty of not only Sephie and her powers, but of the movement of the sky ships, even in the midst of war. Hollowell's brilliant colors bring Sephie's oddly lovely power to life, and while the colors are bright, he still brings an air of gravity to the story with some muted orange and haunting brown hues.
The connection with the lead character from Sigil just doesn't sit well with me. It's not just the characters and stories that cross over, but genres as well. Sam just doesn't fit in here, and it shifts the focus from the politics of one world's commercial war and a young woman's transformation into a true leader to a more cosmic tale that's just not as interesting to this particular reader.
Mind you, Sam's harsh life and accompanying philosophy do open the door for some strong characterization. Sephie's forced to face some ugly truths as a result of her encounter with the Sigil character, and I enjoyed the reflections it sparked in the narration. But it seems to me this could have been brought about without turning away from the context of this title.
Email Don MacPherson comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.
|
