I must not be paying close attention to Previews because I'd never heard tell of this series before a copy of the latest issue found its way onto my desk. This is another example of how Image Comics has evolved from a publishing haven for seven high-profile artists into a mainstream training ground for enthusiastic new creators. Unfortunately, this issue also spotlights some problems, including the downfalls of the creator-funded aspect of Image Comics and the fact that sometimes untested talent gets a shot before they're really ready.
I usually offer up a one-paragraph synopsis in each review, but this time, it's going to be difficult, as I really can't tell what's going on in this book. Clearly, there's a war between the children of Heaven and Hell -- thus the title -- but why they're fighting isn't clear. The main protgaonist's father dies, but I can't even tell if he's one of the good guys or a villain. The writer really doesn't offer up any exposition to let new readers like myself join in on the story. Perhaps the book was crafted with a collected edition in mind, but if it's to be published in episodic format to begin with, I feel accessibility should addressed with every issue.
The art doesn't really help when it comes to clarity. First of all, the art was clearly crafted with color in mind. The artist even goes so far as to provide an apology for the lack of color in a note in the back of the issue. Apparently, the first issues were available in color, but money constraints precluded that option this time around. One really can't blame the artist as a result, and after reading the note, one sympathizes with the creators' plight to produce a professional product under extreme limitations.
Still, one can't dismiss the weakness in the visuals as being entirely the result of a lack of color. Tsai's panel layouts are completely puzzling, making it next to impossible to follow the action. Extreme closeups are used at times when the reader needs a wider view in order to appreciate what's going on.
There are also jarring shifts in style. The opening scene is presented in a pencils-only mode that doesn't work well at all, but then it moves into a more traditional inked look that's far too flat. There's no texture, no depth to the visuals. I was also distracted by the repeated changes in font for the letters for no clear reason, even in the middle of the same scene.
Another strike against this book is the creators' clear inspiration by manga and anime. I don't usually care for the extreme nature of Japanese genre storytelling, and that holds true here as well, with a plot and artwork that's clearly influence by that approach.
