On my journey toward writing a comic – something I’ve been wanting to do since my senior year of high school far back when I was writing incredibly offensive things like Phetus the Fetus and The Rad 4 (about various characters revolving around cancer) – and my subsequent return to the collection of comics, I entered an indie space that contains within it a vibrant community.

It goes as no surprise that, eventually, that community was not unlike Nietche’s abyss that would eventually begin to look back at me to court my affections. In one of my many conversations about the nature of comics and the indie space, Twitter user “HOJO!” (@HWDesper) randomly suggested that I pick up his comic book. Impressed by the brazen proposal I decided to indulge and throw some money his way for a two floppies – a couple mail confused redirects and there they were in front of me.

Down the Rabbit Hole We Go

Occasionally I make my headings with a bit of levity, but this one was quite purposeful, because the entire first issue is a very Alice in Wonderland reminiscent storyline. South River Studios’ first issue invites readers into a world where the modern-day collides with a primordial force, resulting in a narrative that is quite thrilling.

Who would I be without talking about a story’s setting? Luckily, the setting in H. Wayne Desper’s fiction is quite striking, with promises of a richly imagined backdrop. It begins with a world very much the same as our own but are quickly introduced to legendary creatures such as vampires and demons and magic-users. From a setting standpoint this is fairly standard but the introduction allows us to dip our toes at a slow rate that has me excited for what is to come.

Part of what makes the setting stand out is the well-balanced pacing, with a mix of high-octane action sequences and quieter, character-driven moments. It’s the quite moments that I want to drill down on. Having these little breathers, such as the mundanity of waking up, preparing for a job interview, and taking the subway – even with its hint at greater things to come – showcase that our heroine is simply a recent graduate thrust into the Alice role that is beyond her comprehension.

The art within this first issue is competent, though nothing stands out as spectacular – it merely does its job in pushing forth what is the focal point of the book: the story. There are a couple panels I’d have changed, such as when Director Loomis mentions a past incident with a fraternity. I think this would have been a good opportunity for a splash page to emphasize something wild from Nancy’s past, but instead we were met with a sliver of a panel. This might have been meant to be a subdued mention, but a splash page or something a bit larger would have been more impactful.

The story is the main point here, however, and Desper weaves a compelling narrative that competently delivers a cohesive and engaging storyline. Nancy, our protagonist, is competent but bewildered, with small intriguing aspects about her past and potential dormant powers in some kind of familial legacy. She is empathetic at the right moments and acts as a proxy for you and I to be drip fed knowledge of the world. Lucas seems like a fun character, who brings levity into this darker underbelly. There is a vampire who plays for the good guys, a possible anomaly for this world that brings intrigue. And there is some kind of mage that acts as a sealer of evil and transporter. While I don’t have a clear idea of each character’s future development, these initial introductions are promising.

The villain is quite generic, but this is typical for an origin story. The point of a first issue tends to be in its introduction of the main characters, with the overarching story hinted at toward the end. As predicted, this became apparent in the last few pages. My biggest issue stems from some of the characters having lines that I thought might be suited better for other characters. The villain, for instance, calling Lucas “boss” when chiding him felt like a line more geared toward Lucas himself. All of these are often pitfalls of a first issue, however, so I give a large amount of leeway in these cases to allow the writer to find the voice for each character.

All in all South River Studios’ The Mythicals promises an action-packed set piece for a very fun adventure. With a compelling narrative and richley developed characters, this is a must-read for fans of the indie space and comic in general.