Wednesday 10 February 2016

Review: Trespasser #1

Story: Justin M. Ryan
Art: Kristian Rossi
Letters: D.C. Hopkins
Publisher: Alterna Comics
Released: February 10th 2016

I've been waiting for this comic for a while now, hovering around the edge of its expectant buzz. I've followed its Twitter account and dipped in from time to time, but never too much, I wanted to be surprised, in the modern age it's easy to over-research and spoil things. I was one of the lucky ones who was privileged enough to read this issue the day before its release, and read it again and again and again. I wasn't disappointed.
 
The basic premise is a man who will do anything necessary to protect his daughter when a strange visitor enters their midst, but really it is so much more. I'm reviews I'm not a fan of essentially turning it into a synopsis, listing what happens panel by panel, not only does it offer little critique, but, spoilers, right? However there are so may story elements at play in Treaspasser that it would be difficult not to review it without revealing, at least, a small detail that you would be aggrieved to have found out early. So consider this a warning, there may be spoilers ahead. If you haven't read Treappasser yet, for gods sake get a copy immediately and read it, it's a brilliant, well written, well drawn, well, well everything comic, I'll save you trouble, go and buy it. If you stay and find yourself spoiled, well, you were warned. 
Ryan crafts this story like a demented baker, adding ingriedient after ingriedient and letting them turn into something wonderful. The basic premise alone is inviting enough, but when you add in the extra elements it transforms into something magical. Ryan doesn't overdo it though, the story is paced well and each ingredient is added at just the right time to keep the momentum going. 
We are thrust right into the action, in a world gone awry for reasons not yet revealed, then the extra terrestrial stranger (spoilers right?) is chucked in the pot, along with a hidden agenda. There are so many mysteries to unravel that I kept going back to see if I could see some subtle clue as to what was happening, because when I got to the end, I wanted more, I so desperately want to find out what is going on. Which brings me to the books close, a thumping great cliffhanger leaving so many frustrating questions it should of been the end of an episode of lost. Ryan has made a wonderful story, without even mentioning his command of characterisation, the snappy dialogue between the protagonist and his daughter his clever scripting.
Rossi's art is superb, it compliments the tone of the book perfectly, capturing the remote nature of the setting, the futility of the protagonists struggle and builds some very tense moments between the dad and the 'trespasser'. The sequential storytelling is brilliant and some clever uses of page and panel make for an interesting and captivating experience. 

That's what comics are right, several different disciplines merging together to create something special to pore over, Trespasser succeeds with this in style. It's a gem in Alterna's crown and has set the bar high for the publisher, really making a statement of intent in the wake of their ten year celebrations. Trespasser is an intriguing and engaging read, I  can't wait to see what the rest of the series holds in store.

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