Writer: Marc Silvestri
Artist: Sumeyee Kesgin
Cover Artist: Betsy Gonia
$3.50
Image Comics / Top Cow Productions
(W) Mark Silvestri (A) Sumeyee Kesgin (CA) Marc Silvestri $3.50 Top Cow Productions
Nearing the end of “Rise of the Magi #1″, one starts to wonder where all the fantasy cliches, swordplay, and slightly overdone dialogue happens to be leading to. Nothing bad by any means, but nothing fascinatingly unique or interesting either. Then the last page hits. With a Magic Kingdom of Landover twist, the story veers off in a completely different direction, and one that brings it new life. The climax is remarkable. If only the events leading up to it were as exciting, but we’re still presented with an intriguing possibility for future issues.
Marc Silvestri, of Darkness fame, is attempting to build an entirely new magical realm from the ground up. There are a slew of refreshing ideas amid the typicality. Magic plays an all-encompassing role, akin to something like Umbral. Choosing that as the focal point gives Magi a strong core to build off of. Sadly, it’s mostly in the form of a “powerful trinket” that must be protected at all costs. Sound familiar? It is. There are plenty of mystical animals, trolls, and scene-chewing villains as well. Our hero, thrust into the familiar role of young boy needing to save the world, seems slightly bland. But personality traits come with time, so improvement is likely. The battle scenes have a nice flow to them, even if they read a little quickly.
Even amidst the banality, it’s evident that lots of effort has been put into the series. It may have its cliches, but this isn’t lazy or sloppily constructed. All of the panels have a reason to be there. If you can make it through the moments in the middle, validation occurs at the end. As reviewers, we read large amounts of comics every week. Rarely do they surprise so efficiently as this debut issue did. If next month builds on that, this series has the potential to be top tier in the niche genre it just became. The old adage “they saved the best for last” certainly applies here.
Having two artists works brilliantly here. Both perfectly convey everything happening, which is tough considering there are a few crowded panels. It looks, and more importantly feels, like a fantasy world. All of the magical elements are well-done, never diverting your attention too far from what’s happening on page. Every face is expressive and setting expansive, with plenty of little extras strewn about. Silvestri’s second half in particular really stands out. Again, plenty of care went into this, and it shows.
Verdict:
Halfway through, the possibility of future interest seemed to be fairly “meh”. Thankfully, the finale delivers. We get to see a tiny hint of what Silvestri and company are plotting. If anyone can handle such a grand theme, it would be him. Rise of the Magi could definitely be destined for something special. Fantasy buffs, especially of the literary variety, should absolutely check this out. Slight reservations for those whose interests lie elsewhere, but there’s enough here to pique the curiosity of newcomers. Recommended.
“Rise of the Magi #1″ earns a 7/10
Alex Smith
Alex Smith is a film student living in Seattle, WA. When not wasting away in class, he spends all his free time with comics, movies, and video games, and has been since birth. He can spend hours discussing Saga, Hawkeye, or Game of Thrones. Lying Cat’s number one fan.
Follow Me:
The post REVIEW: “Rise of the Magi #1″ Is There Magic in These Pages? appeared first on CAPELESSCRUSADER.ORG.