 The ADD Blog Flashmob Fridays A Criminal Blog Kochalkaholic!
|
Rocketo #1
Espinosa's artwork makes his and Taylor's effort seem worth it. Dark
brush lines are used really loosely so that everything feels intense.
The characters' emotions are clear and fierce. Espinosa animation
experience is evident on the first look. Character designs are simple
and also very strong, ready for anything Espinosa's imagination throws
at them.
It's Espinosa's imagination that really shines within the oversized
pages of this book. The undersea creatures and castles are
impressive, they definitely realize the scope of what's being out
forth here. The books' format might seem like a gimmick at fist but it
is soon evident that that's the only way Espinosa could create this
fantastic world he wants to share. The coloring especially creates
some stunning visuals, due to Espinosa's masterful ways of making what
looks like watercolors mix with his liberated drawing style.
While the epic adventure is captivating due to the amazing art I often
did feel like the many captions and stories felt like a lecture. By
the time the book's getting around to the history of Ultamo I felt
perhaps a little too much was being piled on for one issue. It's not
that Espinosa and Taylor's writing can't shine. Many of the dialogue
scenes between Rocketo and his parents were in fact well done. It's
just that with a book that looks this good it would be nice to drop
some of the captions and let a sequence or two fly on its looks
alone.
It is a massive adventure story and it is one that has just begun.
Rocketo feels like a real work of creative imagination brought
alive by masterful skill. It can really be something.
-- Ian Brill
Send review copies to:
|
Rocketo announces itself as a fantasy/adventure epic by the
first page. The book is read sideways, making each page seem like
something off of a movie screen. There aren't many pages read before
we learn of the mighty lineage of Rocketo's family (told to us through
hologram in an observatory floating above the world) who earned names
like "Star Maker" and "Light Bringer." Our hero is the product of two
rival clans. We even learn of some of the different humanoid beasts
walking around. It's all presented with such grandeur not much
different than Star Wars or what Darwyn Cooke's New
Frontier would grow to be.