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IMAGE INTROUCES... CRYPTOPIA
Highly Recommended (9/10)
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Image Comics
"Cryptopia"
Writer: Ben Raab
Pencils: Pat Quinn
Inks: John Lowe & Mostafa Moussa
Colors: Zylonol Studios
Letters: Jeff Eckleberry
"Dog Soldiers"
Writer: Rob Hunter
Pencils: Peter Pachoumis
Inks: Luke Rizzo
Colors/Letters: Chris Chuckry
Price: $2.95 US/$4.50 CAN |
I'm a hard sell when it comes to showcase series like Image Introduces. I like planned mini-series or graphic novels with complete stories, or ongoing series where I can watch the characters develop or change. However, I've read a couple issues of Image Introduces before and been pretty happy with them, and this issue stands out
as the best so far. Cryptopia is a fun concept, with pulp adventure roots and a
modern style, and the only complaint I really have about the story is that it
reads like the first issue of an ongoing rather than a done-in-one tale. The
teaser for Dog Soldiers is equally interesting, and it seems I may have to
re-evaluate my interest in this particular showcase series.
Cryptopia is one part Atlantis: The Lost Empire and one part Jurassic Park, with a fiery independent woman as the
lead thrown in for good measure. The idea of seeking out mysteries is one that
goes back to Jules Verne and continues today with Chris Carter, and Raab has
taken elements from both of these men as well as numerous others to create the
story of a woman who has dedicated her life to studying hidden species like Yeti
and Chupacabra. It's a strong premise, and it's backed up with some interesting
characters and some very nice artwork.
Pat Quinn is a familiar name
to me, but I haven't seen a lot of his work. He does a terrific job here,
though, with character designs that remind me of John McCrea and a wonderful
attention to detail. He also captures the mixture of adventure and mystery
needed for the book, with a fantastic chase scene in the beginning, some nice
designs for crowded academia and a stunning look at what a wealthy investor can
buy a team of scientists. Cryptopia requires a sense of wonder to work, and
Quinn's artwork brings that sense of wonder home.
While the basic idea is
strong enough on its own, it wouldn't fly without good characters, and Raab and
Quinn have delivered in that regard as well. Though the supporting characters
come off as a little two-dimensional at first, that's understandable given how
little time they're really given to develop. It's Shannon Palmer who is the
heart of this story, and she's a great character. She's smart, determined, has a
little bit of an attitude from her life's work of going against the grain and is
a mixture of field adventurer and lab scientist. She's the perfect protagonist
for a pulp tale, the modern descendant of characters like Indiana Jones.
Rounding out this issue is a
short preview of next issue's feature, Dog Soldiers. Along with another strong
concept, this is a stunning debut for artists Peter Pachoumis and Luke Rizzo.
Their work here reminds me of some of my favorite artists, such as Lee Bermejo
or Eduardo Risso, with terrific use of shadows and some lovingly-detailed
military gear.
It's hard to give Image Introduces a rating as an overall series, since
the contents vary so much from issue-to-issue. All I can say is that this
particular issue is a great one, and the short sequence at the end bodes well
for next issue as well. If nothing else, Cryptopia proves itself strong enough
in this issue for a shot at a mini-series or ongoing.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board. |
