For this week's edition of Fresh Friday Features, we're reminiscing about the things we lost along the way: Pokémon cards, socks, remotes, or maybe something a bit more serious, like secret family truths, magic, or entire worlds! It's time for a quest of epic proportions to claim back what is rightfully yours! Read on and support these characters in the quest for the lost.
This week, ArtCrumbs picked four titles that'll give you a peak into the ordinary lives that maybe aren't so ordinary anymore!
- Comic - Dahlia in the Dark: A fast-paced, action, fantasy thriller about family and hidden truths.
- WebComic - Pipeline Lizards: Four friends meet a mysterious pipeline.
- Webcomic - P.Y.R.E.: Baron fails to receive magic from his ancestors, so he sets out to find his own.
- Manga - Kuro Shouri: Hisaki and Yasha are an odd pair of friends, hey soon find that creatures are after them for something they know nothing about.
Dahlia in the Dark, 156 pages - Published by Mad Cave Studios, (cc/ @chrisfernandez)
Dahlia in the Dark is a fast-paced, action, fantasy thriller about family and hidden truths. Ringo award winner and Eisner nominated author Joe Corallo (She Said Destroy, Becstar, The Never Ending Party) joins rising star artist Andrea Milana for an all-original mini-series that will take readers on one wild ride!
Story and Art by Mad Cave Studios
Comments from @ArtCrumbs: Stunningly brutal and beautiful!
In the war of nature vs humanity, packages still need to be delivered. However, there's something just a little bit off about this one! Has-been Donny Dahlia is playing co-pilot to this delivery and he's way over his head it feels like after reading just the first issue. I really love the muted color palette, allowing impactful moments to be really impactful.
There are a lot of characters introduced in this issue, but I think it was handled well, established all the goals. It's clear there's a lot of backstabbing going to happen here, and I'm ready for it. I'll definitely be reading other issues for more this weekend! Great job again, Mad Cave!
Pipeline Lizards, 11 pages - Published by Pipeline Lizards, (cc/ @JEAlexander)
Four lizards are following a pipeline to see where it goes.
Story and Art by Pipeline Lizards
Comments from @ArtCrumbs: Lizards, leopards, pipelines, oh my!
I love that these lizards are doing something I've always wanted to do, follow something, a road, a river, a forest path just to see where it goes. That's initially what drew me to the webcomic honestly, hopefully we'll get that satisfaction in the end! It's also very clear that each of these characters are very different in personality, and are rightfully frustrated with their situation. Running out of food sucks!
The art style is ink/black heavy, something I personally love seeing, but it still works with the great color choices, mostly flats with some light shading. Something I appreciated was the time of day affected the color choices as a whole, sunset vs the nighttime, versus home interior. Sometimes you don't really get to see it in comics so that colors are consistent, but I like how it was handled here.
Kuro Shouri, 994 pages - Published by Dice & Kitties, (cc/ @Kikirini)
Hisaki and Yasha are an odd pair of friends: Hisaki is quiet, distant, and possibly keeping secrets from everyone, while Yasha is loud, violent, and in serious need of anger management. As they try to deal with each other, they soon find that creatures are after them for something they know nothing about: a demon supposedly hiding within one of them.
Story and Art by Dice & Kitties
Comments from @ArtCrumbs: First days can be rough, but they don't usually end in fist fights.
Between the struggling student and the new guy, what a long school day! Especially tough for a first day of the new year! It was really cool to see some color pages before the black and white ones to give some idea about the possible color while reading the rest. I will say that I really liked the lineart, it was super clean and the contrast is done really well. I like the idea of a set of non-typical lead with Yasha, I can definitely relate to her on multiple levels.
I'm definitely curious who this mysterious fellow is. I did appreciate the first chapter focusing on introducing the characters, allowing us to understand and get to know them before throwing us deep into a story. I usually prefer the latter, but for this one, there's clearly some relationships we need to know about the main characters before moving on. This was a great choice. I've only read through the first chapter, but I can say that I'm really looking forward to reading more over the weekend! I've seen multiple comments about readers excited to see it on GlobalComix, and now I see why! I'm glad I picked it up!
P.Y.R.E., 309 pages - Published by TherniBird, (cc/ @TherniBird)
When Baron, member of a magical people, fails to receive magic from his ancestors, he sets out to find his own. But an unseen calamity is ever-growing within the land of the mountains, and Baron is its prey.
Story and Art by TherniBird
Comments from @ArtCrumbs:
It's hard not to be bitter if you were promised magic, but never got it, especially with someone close to you a future shaman. I feel for Baron, having to do everything on his own, the mortal way. An interesting concept, though sad to be honest. Baron is clearly not afraid of just doing things himself, after reading through the first 3 releases.
I love the soft art style, the bit of lore, and something about the sarcasm Baron delivers is satisfying. It's never overly mean, but I felt sorry for him most of the time. I'm curious to see what this danger is as I continue reading, as well as if he'll actually find magic. There seemed to have been some foreshadowing with the funeral and some conversations afterwards.
I've had my curiosity piqued and I need to read more! Great work Thernibird! You've got me as a reader! I can't wait to see what's in store!
That's all for now, but we'll have another set of Fresh Friday reading recommendations next week. If you're looking for more recommendations, make sure to opt-in for our weekly reading list email! You can find that in your User Profile Notification settings. You can also browse through our Featured Comics news section!
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