BAD NATURES #1, available now on Kickstarter, spins a fable of life, death, and betrayal among the gods who rule over the world. When Casimir, ruler of Hell, enacts his malignant plan, the gods and the world will never be the same.
The Details
- Written By: Joshua S. Jearmon
- Art By: Sherman Tibayan, Joshua S. Jearmon
- Colors By: Ellis Carlos
- Letters By: Rick Joseph
- Cover Art By: Gaston S. Garcia
- Cover Price: $5.00 (for digital edition on Kickstarter)
- Release Date: November 2021 (estimated)
Wait! Don’t Forget To Sign Up For The Comical Opinions Newsletter.
It’s 100% FREE. Sign up NOW!
Was It Good?
It’s not bad. Not bad at all. The premise is unique, the characters are lively and interesting, and the plot has enough surprises, twists, and turns to build curiosity for more. There are some rough spots, but this is a solid offering from an indie creative team.
If you want more details about the plot, jump down to the next section for a thorough description. We’ll cover just the broad strokes here.
Jasper, the protagonist and forest god, is a kindly character. You can empathize with his plight as former acquaintances are arrested for collaboration with the enemy. His desperation to save his friends is palpable and the creative team effectively gets Jasper to project relatable emotion when caught between conflicting loyalties. You can’t help but like Jasper and want him to overcome the challenges he encounters.
In this comic, Jasper is the primary but not the only example of characters that have a clear voice and some degree of emotional depth. You may not like every character, but you can understand what they’re about, and you can grasp the motivations behind their actions as consistent with their personality.
The character work is great, but the plot is mostly great. You come in at the end of the war between gods, so there’s some vaguery that needs to be worked through to understand what’s going on. It’s not completely confusing, but it takes a few pages to get the rules of the world settled and a sense of the players.
Once you figure out who’s who, there’s still the matter of missing context. For example, you’re introduced to a dragon named Ethel who’s been arrested for treason by making an alliance with Casimir. The emotional conflict stems from Jasper’s friendship/kinship with Ethel, but without the context (How do Ethel and Jasper know each other? Why did Ethel ally herself with Casimir? Why does Ethel refuse to defend herself?) you get the feeling you’re missing an important piece of the story. Some of the blanks may get filled in with later issues, but the plot feels incomplete in spots as of now.
Regarding the art, it’s not bad. The character designs are unique. The lettering is very good. And the coloring is outstanding, probably the artistic highlight. That said, the artwork (pencils/inks) is flat… very flat. The characters primarily lack depth and texture. There’s always room for improvement, and I want to encourage this creative team to do more, but it’s fair to say the linework here is amateurish.
Overall, this is a commendable start to a high-fantasy series that’s worth the purchase.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
The war between gods is over. Queen Ava and Jasper rule the winning side from atop the Summit of the Gods. Casimir is banished to rule Hell, and all his allies have been ejected from the mountain with him. One day, Jasper is escorting Ethel, an old friend and dragon, to the Queen’s chambers. Ethel is charged with treason for forming an alliance with Casimir. Jasper desperately tries to get Ethel to explain and defend herself, but she refuses. Without options, Queen Ava banishes Ethel from the mountain, strips her of godhood, and curses her firstborn to be born without limbs.
Ethel goes to see Casimir for help, but the two are at odds over their original bargain. Casimir demands Ethel’s firstborn as payment for his help.
Years later, Jasper is chopping trees in the woods when he’s attacked by a giant snake. He deduces the snake is Ethel’s firstborn, and the snake is ruthlessly bent on killing Jasper as revenge for Jasper’s “betrayal” against Ethel and Casimir. We conclude the issue with a brutal battle in the forest, the wrath of a Queen who believes she was betrayed, and a huge shift in time.
Bad Natures #1 Bad Natures #1 Bad Natures #1 Bad Natures #1
Final Thoughts
BAD NATURES #1 is a fresh and creative high-fantasy adventure about a war between gods over the fate of the world. While the plot and linework have room for improvement, this is a visually enjoyable and imaginative story that’s worth reading. I’m hooked enough to want to see what happens next.
Score: 7.5/10
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com