Cholst, Rachel & Boyle, Angela – Artema: The Exile #1

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Artema: The Exile #1

Ah, the first issue. Difficult to review, because I know so little about the world in the comic so far. Well, I guess there are some #1’s that are easy to review: terrible comics. And this isn’t a terrible comic, so that’s out. This is the very beginning of the story of Artema. The story actually starts at the end (or at least further along), as the first thing we see is a noticeably older Artema reaching the end of what has obviously been a long, difficult journey, but without a clear idea of what to do now that she’s made it. From there we see a bit about the unique view of time as believed by Artema and her people, and then we’re taken back to see how Artema got her name. We next see her in training, and it’s obvious that she’s chafing under all the rules. This is a part where I could have done with a few more specifics, but since this is only the first issue it’s entirely possible we’ll learn more later. The rest of the issue, without giving too much away, deals with Artema struggling to fit into this world, her reaction to that defeat and the consequences of that action. It’s an intriguing start, that’s for sure. Rachel has a great grasp of pacing and leaving breadcrumbs to be uncovered later (who is that painted warrior?), and Angela does some solid work letting the faces tell the story in some otherwise silent panels. It’s definitely worth a look, and a solid first issue for two people who are apparently new to comics. One piece of advice: get that second issue out quick! Don’t join the vast pile of comics that only ended up with one issue. You’ve got me hooked early, so keep up the pace! $5