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CASTLE WAITING #13
"Solicitine Part Six"
Highly Recommended (9/10)
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Olio Press
Writer/Artist: Linda Medley
Letters: Todd Klein
Price: $2.95 US/$4.95 CAN |
I was beginning to be afraid that this title had been "indy cancelled" when it went back to self-publishing, and that it was going to quietly disappear from the comics scene. Happily, Medley is back, and her work is as strong as ever, even with a bit of confusion caused by the length between chapters of the story. Castle Waiting is sweet, smart and intriguing, with a
vast number of potential stories and enjoyable characters and situations. This
issue continues the "flashback" story to the Bearded Nuns that has consumed all
of volume two thus far, and surprisingly, I'm not in the least bit bored by such
a long storyline. Medley has managed to make this story run everywhere, from a
circus to an abbey to a small mill, and has captured the feel of
medieval/fantasy life quite well.
There have been, at points in
this story, flashbacks within flashbacks within flashbacks, and I haven't been
confused. However, I must admit that given how long it has been since the last
chapter, the single flashback threw me, and it took me a few pages to realize
what time period the story was being told in. Once I got back in, though, I was
amongst old friends again. The reunion of Queen, Peace and some others from the
circus was a joy, and the story of the wedding and the cruel Miller soon came
back.
Medley has captured a nice blend of fairy-tale and medieval reality in her time on Castle Waiting, and this is no different. For every
order of bearded nuns, there's a realistic depiction of indentured servitude and
cruel masters. For every funny coincidence or divine intervention, there's the
simple human joy of marriage or spending time with friends. The story this issue
encompasses a reunion, a scam designed to free some of the protagonists from
tyranny and of course the preparations for a wedding. It's not at all crowded,
not paced too fast or too slow, but instead gives us quiet moments and big
moments, sadness and comedy, triumph and the lurking sense of danger. It's an
optimistic book, but it's not Pollyanna about everything.
Artistically, the book is a
dream as well. The vision of Nessie's wedding gown is quite beautiful, and
Medley does a fantastic job with the general costuming and scenery as well. Her
storytelling is also masterful, with the use of round panels to indicate the
start of flashbacks, body and facial language that gives away story cues and a
feel for quiet and funny moments to go with the rather brash bits of slapstick.
Castle Waiting is that rare book, a very personal
independent comic with a handcrafted feel that nevertheless retains a completely
professional feel throughout. It's one of the standout books in the market, and
deserves to be read by a much larger readership.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review. |
