TALEWEAVER #1
"The Journey Begins..."
Recommended (7/10)
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DC Comics/Wildstorm Productions
Writer: Leonard Banaag
Pencils: Philip Tan
Inks: Gary Mayoralgo
Colors: Avalon Studios
Letters: Fishbrain
Editor: Aaron Watanabe
Price: $3.50 US/$5.75 CAN |
Taleweaver, eh? Let's see... major manga influence, untested creators, seemingly ambiguous title... probably not going to be my cup o' tea. [Flips through some pages.] Hmm, interesting.
I wasn't blown away by this first issue of Taleweaver, but I am intrigued. There's a great deal of potential in the core concept of the book, and the art combines the strengths of manga and modern Western comic art. The art and script don't mesh as well as I'd like, but my interest has definitely been piqued.
The most popular boy in a village full of slaves is Axel, a young man with a talent for storytelling. Everyone is enthralled by his tales, but he feels they simply blind his people to their plight. However, one night, as Axel tells a tale of an uprising and freedom, his words begin to come true with the arrival of an army of saviors.
As I've noted often in my reviews, I've never been much of a fan of manga art. However, Tan's work drew me into the story. There are moments when it reminded me of the art of John (Planetary) Cassaday in its level of detail. I also enjoyed the warm glow of the colors by Avalon. However, the art comes up short by failing to show us everything we need to see. The dialogue provides cues that are not matched in the art.
Banaag wisely bridges the cultural gap between the world in which this story is set and the one in which the reader lives by achieving a nice balance between colloquial and formal speech in the script. It's easier to accept someone named Lord Hawk when the story also includes a kid named Gus. Banaag keeps the story's feet planted on the ground.
I hope this series remains focused on Axel, and given the title of the book, it's a safe bet it will. Seeing this talented storyteller learn first-hand the literal power of stories is a lot of fun, and the possibilities that he represents -- both in terms of characterization and plot avenues -- are limitless.
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