Elsewhere #1
Written by Jay Faeber
Art by Sumeyye Kesgin
Colours by Ron Riley
Letters by Thomas Mauer
Reviewed by Lorna Maltman (maltmanlorna@gmail.com)
Being lost or uncertain where you are is often a frightening experience, but it can lead to amazing experiences. For instance, I was on a camp and one night we were going out to the cinema, but the convoy of cars got lost. This resulted in us singing all the way to this tiny cinema where an elderly lady came out before the film started asking if anyone wanted any ice cream, which was such an enjoyable time. This idea of uncertainty leading to adventure is prominent in this first issue of Elsewhere.
It starts out on an alien planet where two members of a rebellious faction are attempting an escape. During their escape, these two stumble upon who else but Amelia Earhart who is, understandably, a little bit confused about what is happening. However, these feelings are quickly turned into determination as she finds out that her navigator Fred might be in Lord Kragen’s dungeon. This leads to a brilliant last page reveal, although this might lose some of its impact for non-American readers.
Jay Faeber, in his letter at the end, reveals that this world is where people who disappear end up, like Earhart. This is a premise which is full of promise and Faeber does well in this issue to establish the fundamentals that you need to know about the world at large. However, the main thing that makes me want to come back for issue two is the end reveal and Farber’s letter, which compensated for the fact that the character work in this issue was m
inimal and other parts felt like a mish mash of other works like Reborn.
Kesgin’s art brings a sense of adventure and transports you to an alien world that is engaging but keeps the focus on the characters and their emotional motivations. Riley’s use of shades of purple and blue aides the surreal night time aesthetic.
Verdict:
Worth a look. This is a comic that is full of promise, but it might be one that is worth trade waiting; .as this first issue was not riveting, just intriguing.
