IN OUR DREAMS AWAKE #1, from John McGuire on Kickstarter, blends medieval magic and futuristic cyberpunk for a tale about a man in the crosshairs of deadly factions in two realities.
The Details
- Written by: John McGuire, Egg Embry
- Art by: Edgar Salazar, Genaro Olavarrieta, Rolands Kalniņš
- Colors by: John McGuire, Rolands Kalniņš
- Letters by: Egg Embry, Alexander Lugo
- Cover art by: Edgar Salazar, Genaro Olavarrieta, Egg Embry (cover A)
- Cover price: $5.00 (digital copy)
- Release date: May 2022
Is It Good?
Yes, IN OUR DREAMS AWAKE #1 is an intriguing first issue. McGuire and Embry tell competing stories about a man who finds himself in a very difficult position. The mix of futuristic cyberpunk and medieval magic is not a common twist, so if nothing else, you’re going to like the novelty of it all.
The highlight of this issue is its central premise. McGuire and Embry write different stories that feel similar but would stand equally well separate from each other. The two writers find a balance between copying the same plot and telling stories so different that no connection is apparent. The balance is struck well enough that you can see enough similarities to perceive a vague connection without too much overlap. That may sound weird, but it will make more sense once you read the issue.
There are a few down points in the first issue; two in particular.
First, the art is a little rough in spots. As far as indie comics go, we’ve seen much worse, but rough it is so rough we shall call it. The lines, coloring, and overall composition in the first half story (“Fantasy Dream”) are the stronger of the two, but the overall issue could use more polish.
Second, the cyber-slang dialog used in the “Sci-Fi Dream” was tough to get through in a few panels when it comes to making out what the characters were saying. This isn’t a novel where a reader has oodles of pages to get acclimated to the verbiage, and the writers went a little too far and too fast with the future-speak, making for a cumbersome reading experience.
Technical execution aside, the concept is novel, you can see where the stories start to dovetail together, and we’re interested in what happens next.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a man, Jason Byron, painting the portrait of Lady Alexandria. The setting is medieval, and the land is ruled by Lords who possess magic. Technology is outlawed. When the portrait is complete, Byron heads home to enjoy a little stargazing with his illegal telescope. Later, a friend comes to warn him that his name is on a list of suspected technology users, and he should take steps to protect himself.
That night, Byron enjoys his telescope for the last time to gaze at the stars when suddenly he sees what looks like a spaceship falling from the sky.
Suddenly, Lord Byron wakes up in his apartment to the sound of one of his gang lieutenants banging on the door. The dank room reflects a water-logged city outside. Mike, Byron’s lieutenant, came to tell him Simple was chasing one of the Alphan fish-people aliens, Fem’a Lin, and he saw a spaceship in her apartment. Byron visits Fem’a Lin to learn the truth of Simple’s story.
We conclude the issue with the danger of a new gang war, stealing tech, and a connection between worlds.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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IN OUR DREAMS AWAKE #1 is an intriguing blend of parallel stories – one rooted in magic, the other in cyberpunk – reflecting the parallel lives of a man hunted by forces beyond his control. The premise delivers plenty of intriguing developments, and the pacing and plotting are spot-on.
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