Written by, Jeremy Whitley
Art by, Brittney Williams
Colors by, Valentina Pinto
Letters by, Taylor Esposito
Recap
At the end of the previous issue, the protagonists, Wisp and Twinkles, come face-to-face with a wolf who has been sent to capture light by The King of Shadows. Twinkles, a Sprite, uses a spell to transport them to his world and escape. This issue begins on Twinkles’ world where they must escape the wolf that followed them drawn to them by their colorful presence. In fact, Wisp and Twinkles are the only colorful things in the wooded area where they hide under a pile of leaves. Meanwhile, Murky Dismal, a scientist who’s in allegiance with The King of Shadows, builds a machine to capture color. He also hunts our heroes so he can use their colors to fuel the machines. However, when Wisp learns that the wolf once was normal prior to The Shadow King’s influence, she now makes it her mission to find a way to free the wolf from the trap The King of Shadows set.
The art in this issue is whimsical, cartoonish, and fun. As much as the art supports the tone of the story, the draw for me is the courage of Wisp and her motivation to rescue those who are trapped. This same theme was revealed in the first issue of this series only it occurred in play scenarios with her best friend. In the current situation, Wisp’s bravery shines through as she thinks quickly on her feet while finding a way to obtain the tools needed to save the wolf from the spell of The King of Shadows
The story kept my interest because it continues to build, adding new characters, like Murky Dismal, and adding a backstory for The Sprite, Twinkle’s people. In addition, even the allegiances have a twist, as we learn that Murky Dismal aligns with The Shadow King only so he can gather color. Finally, the classic tale of the hero’s journey is revealed in our main character as she is now far from home and must embrace her true self if she is to overcome the incredible odds she faces to save the wolf.
Overall = 8.5/10
Recap
The role reversal, which includes a young female protagonist rescuing the big bad wolf, (good insight) provides the intrigue and infuses the story with hope. Wisp is fun, feisty, courageous and, most of all, compassionate. She is able to see past outward appearances to the heart of the matter, which is a powerful example for any young person. I highly recommend this beautiful tale to children and parents of young children.
