Stoneheart #1 ADVANCE REVIEW: dazzling visuals and complex story delight in this high fantasy tale
Writer/Artist: Emma Kubert.
Image Comics premieres a unique — though sometimes tedious — high fantasy tale in Stoneheart #1. Riddled with interesting characters and curated world-building, this initial issue is a wild ride from start to finish. Wicked visual design and frantically paced storytelling give off a zany atmosphere that bounces from scene to scene with reckless abandon. All of this wraps around the parallel tales of Paladin Stoneheart, who harbors a deeply ancient power, and Shayde Whisper, a young woman in a new town. Their stories hide deep connections that I look forward to following, the dynamic entwining of the characters creating a truly immersive reading experience.
Our paladin story is demonstrated with visual gravity. Thin and detailed lines, coupled with sketch-focused aesthetic, contribute well to the high fantasy aspirations of the series. The coloring in these sections is monochromatic, save for the calculated usage of color. Inconsistent graphite shading and lining lend a dream-like quality to the proceedings that contrasts well with the more vibrant colors of Shayde Whisper's world. More of a folksy fairy tale aesthetic, Shayde's world is completely separated from the paladin while still existing within the same world. The story itself connects these vastly different spaces methodically, but also sparsely; this may either keep you interested with its mystery or disinterest you in its scattershot approach.
The writing of this initial issue is extremely dialogue-driven, but Kubert's diverse approaches to both lettering and bubbling make this comic extremely readable. There is a lot of world-building done through extraneous footnote boxes, which feels disjointed from the story at hand. Athea is the greater land mass on which the story occurs, yet despite many loaded exposition boxes about it, I feel I still know nothing of Athea. When placed in comparison to all the good of this issue, this is a minor complaint — though one I hope is remedied in issues to come.
Stoneheart #1 is a delightfully inviting read that offers some interesting dividends for readers willing to invest. I for one, plan to invest, and I hope you do too. Stoneheart #1 earns itself 4 outta 5 POPs!
I highly recommend you pick it up from YOUR LOCAL COMIC BOOK SHOP(!!!) or Image Comics' website (here) when it releases on March 8th!
RECOMMENDED READING
If you enjoy comics with fantasy vibes as much as I do, then I highly recommend Rat Queens — a definitively funnier take on the genre but at the top of my list nonetheless. Alongside that, do yourself a favor and read I Hate Fairyland. Thank me later.
Austin Kemp read Batman #315 (Batman vs Kite Man) when he was 5 years old, and hasn't stopped reading comics since. Austin is a college writing teacher and has a masters degree in Comics Studies. Austin and his partner, Savanah, live in Massachusetts with their master, a cat named Chaplin.
