Mystic: The Tenth Apprentice
Writer, G. Willow Wilson
Penciler, David Lopez
Inker, Alvaro Lopez
Colorist, Nathan Fairbairn
Letterer, Jared K. Fletcher
ISBN: 9780785156086
Graphic Novel, combined Mystic Issues 1-4.
So the backstory here is that a comics group named CrossGen folded a while back, leaving a whole lot of stories unfinished, just hanging out with no chance of resolution (as an avid reader, I totally sympathize - that SUCKS as a reader). Marvel picked up the CrossGen catalog, but instead of picking up the originals and running with them, it's 'rebooting' each story as a limited-run set of complete stories, to see which of them, if any, are popular or interesting enough to put into commission as full lines.
That said, I never read the originals, but added this particular one based on good reviews in a variety of places. I'm glad I did, and I'm also glad that it showed up today for a good 'slip back into reading' expreience, because frankly my brains aren't up for anything strenuous these past few days.
We start in a classic Dickensian fashion, with two orphan girls in indentured servitude to the headmistress of the orphanage where they were left as children. They have to pay her back for the cost of their raising, you see. (Which is an excellent nasty plot hook, to be totally honest.) One is dreamy and starry-eyed, full of faith and hope in the goodness of Fate and her certitude that life will get better. The other is a hard-nosed cynic, smart-mouthed and suspicious. Life is made bearable by their regular sneaking visits to the lady's library, until they are found out and escape into the streets. By a set of circumstances best characterized as giddy handwaving, one ends up in the lap of luxury, learning to become an elite mage, while the other one joins the violent French Revolution-inspired street mobs as a powerful figurehead. The kicker is that the dreamer ends up as the cynical revolutionary while the cynic has to have faith in her new aristocratic companions.
Is it earth-shattering plotting? Nope, but it's awfully fun anyway. The story is really a veneer over the revolution, with beheadings and dramatic posing on top of barrel-constructed barricades. In places I really felt like the characters were about to break into a Les Mis musical number.
Are the characters awesome? Eh, they're archtypes. But I still liked reading about them. The only real downside I have with the characters is that during the ending (which requires group action) a character participates, or at the very least, refrains from sabotage, which doesn't match the character at all.
Well, the art is glorious, right? I liked it, but it isn't Sandman or Sin City or Girl Genius. Still, it's easy to tell who is who, the characters are distinctive and interesting (I appreciated the mix of skin-tones) and the colors and design layout play very nicely with the progression and dynamics of the story, while the lettering is well-placed to not distract from the art, but still is readable and flows logically (which feat is apparently harder than it seems, given the many times I've been confused by what order text blocks are supposed to be following).
So, I like it. It isn't a great artistic masterpiece, but it's funny, obviously references the classics, it's readable, easy on the eyes, and doesn't have anything objectionable sexually or violently (beheadings are threatened but averted).
About my speed tonight.
PS - (spoiler warning) Many of the reviews made me worry that the story would have more of a tragic culmination than it did. It obviously doesn't finish everything off neatly -it was intended to kickstart a series after all - but neither does it leave the reader in the lurch or with a tragic death to digest. (end spoiler)
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