"Ophiuchus"Advance Review: web comic to graphic novel is fun, but more suited to younger readers
Hello all!
Once again we've been lucky enough here at POP to get an advanced copy of a new title coming to stores near you from hit Indie publisher Image!
As you know, Image has become the place to check out new titles, as many of them are optioned for TV series due to master class storytelling.
Ophiuchus is a little different from my normal reviews, in that it is an OGN —Original Graphic Novel— and not a comic series.
This self-contained story, based on the popular web comic, is co-written and co-illustrated by Ali Leriger de la Plante and Natasha Tara Petrovic, and is a wonderful tale of the titular character Ophiuchus.
The art style and overall story is very Tron-esque, in that our petulant hero is recruited by an unwitting duo on a quest to free the world/universe from a virus-like creature.
De La Plante and Petrovic's story flows quite smoothly, and it is rather easy to follow the story progression, however I feel that this story is better suited for a younger, more lackadaisical audience, with the bright pastel colors and either sharp or oblong shapes that make up the body of the tale. This coupled with the word choice makes the story very easy to follow, and good fun, but takes away from it being a more serious epic like it tries to be at times.
One issue I had with Ophiuchus is the sudden contrast of the MC's diction from start, to mid, to finish slightly misses the point that they were trying to make about the character's evolution throughout the pages of the story, going from very stoic, to excessively lax within a short span of time.
The supporting character Pyx was very reminiscent of Adventure Time's Beemo, offering guidance and support in a very robotic way. And while Sagitta, the leader of the duo appears to guide the ragtag group, she plays a role akin to a translator a majority of the time, giving insight into the silence that is Pyx.
Ophiuchus was a fun ride, but would probably make a much better children's parable/book. In learning how to look at the world, making change for the better of the collective, and not getting caught up in doing things solely for oneself, Ophiuchus carries a spirit of a dying morality that is not seen in society often enough anymore.
Chris's suggestion: Grab it, read it to the kiddos, and have fun with it.
Thanks again Image, for the early peek, and you faithful POP readers, for your time.
Ophiuchus will be available in comic shops on Wednesday, August 21 and available in bookstores on Tuesday, August 27. It can be pre-ordered at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, IndieBound, and Indigo.