One of the things I like about a lot of Crossgen's books is that they're very accessible, even when they're several years in, and so I was a little surprised that Meridian came across as pretty dense to a new reader like myself. Kesel's script makes it clear that things have happened since I last tried out Meridian (in the first trade), and gives a general overview of what everyone is up to, but some of the relationships are not as clear to those who haven't been following the book already. That said, it's clear that Meridian, like Scion, has turned into much more than it started out as, delving into the realm of politics and rulership as much as strange super-powers and a magical backdrop. What hasn't changed is that the artwork is stunning, as beautiful as Josh Middleton's initial work, and though this is McNiven's last issue as penciller, it's clear that Meridian has an artistic tradition that is unlikely to change with the addition of new artists.
Kesel's script is packed with goings-on, and it definitely feels like this issue is something of a turning point for some characters. In particular, the villainous Ilahn reveals new powers to those he would control and thus increases his goal of ruling through fear, while Sephie lands on a new island to continue her goal of ruling through mutual satisfaction. The politics here aren't terribly complex, very much along the lines of good vs. evil, but I find that Sephie has grown from a young girl in a precarious position under her uncle into an able ruling figure, thoughtful and wise. It's difficult not to like Sephie, who seems to have a nice mix of a playful, girlish personality that she showed in the first issue and a lot more intelligence and inner steel than we saw at first.
This issue is also a turning point for Sephie's first love Jad, and while I don't really know most of these characters, Kesel still manages to make his homecoming feel like a big event. The love and pleasant surprise from his family, the jealousy of Feabie for Sephie and the absolute joy of Jad's father come through loud and clear in his reunion scene. It seems clear that Kesel intends for Jad and Sephie to have a bit of a rocky time with their long-distance relationship, and I'm intrigued by the direction that story is going.
Part of what gives Meridian a sort of sweeping feel is the artwork of McNiven and Simmons. The open air and freedom of the opening sequence, which shows clearly the joy that Sephie feels in flying, is part of the general feel of the artwork, which has always sort of conveyed the floating, aerial nature of Meridian's world. There are some equally impressive shots of Sephie's sunship pulling in to port or the splash page of Cadador. McNiven's character work is also gorgeous to look at, reminiscent of Greg Land's detailed characters in Sojourn, a nice mixture of reality and imaginative design.
Early on, I had thought Crossgen comics were all very much different flavors of fantasy, but it's clear that there's more distinction than that amongst the various titles. Meridian is also a coming-of-age tale, a story about the intricacies of world politics (even if it's a fantasy world) and a meditation on the necessity of pacifism and war on the part of world leaders. It still strikes me as a book that will provide a richer read in trade paperback form, where the story can move more quickly, but there's definitely plenty to be interested in Meridian.
