MOONSTONE #1, from Paul Veenstra on Kickstarter, begins a dark fantasy adventure where the intersection of humanity and darkness threatens to bring about great suffering.
The Details
- Written by: Paul Veenstra
- Art by: John Li
- Colors by: Mykola Myky
- Letters by: JessHavok
- Cover art by: John Li, Joanna Materek
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $7.00 (estimated)
- Release date: July 2023 (estimated)
Is It Good?
MOONSTONE #1 is an intriguing start to what’s promised to be a multi-issue saga about a fantasy kingdom crumbling under the influence of Darkness, a Prince determined to save his people, and a blind girl with the power to heal via a magical Moonstone.
Paul Veenstra’s script centers on Prince Myro, a young man who hunts and fights in the wilds surrounding his kingdom. When he encounters a mysterious girl, Sage, washed up on the shores of the adjoining ocean, Prince Myro believes the darkness plaguing his people with starvation and death may find a glimmer of hope in Sage’s healing power.
What’s great about this issue? There’s a lot to like in this indie offering. John Li’s pencils/inks contain a fascinating mix of groundedness and whimsy unlike anything we’ve seen before. Veenstra’s concept is dead-solid-perfect for a dark fantasy, and the visual concept of using owls and crows as avatars for light and dark respectively is super effective. Further, the cliffhanger has just enough of a hook to leave you wanting more.
In terms of writing execution, Veenstra’s script is above-average to very good. MOONSTONE #1 is mostly a silent issue, so the pacing is super fast, but the high pacing feels odd when certain scenes linger a little too long. For example, you have multiple pages of an owl flying through a storm. It’s visually dramatic, but you get the impression some of the visual wow pages could have been used to include more story pages.
What’s not so great about this issue? Setting aside the uneven pacing, the only minor down point is the rough coloring. JessHavok’s palette selection is solid, but the application lacks blending and feathering. The use of Ben-Day dots makes it easier to simulate shadow and contours, but the effect on faces looks odd.
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 brief prologue explaining the beginnings of Light, Darkness, and their eternal conflict. Over time, clocks of owls gather to represent the power of light as they wage war in the sky against Darkness’s crows.
One day, Prince Myro hunts for a meal in his kingdom as it draws closer to starvation. A dark curse has ravaged crops and created a pall of misery for Myro’s people. When Myro chases down an owl trying to steal his latest kill, he finds a girl washed up on the nearby shore. Myro wraps the girl in his cape and brings her to a nearby cave for warmth and shelter.
Myro learns the girl’s name is Sage, and she carries with her the Moonstone – a magical jewel that can heal natural and supernatural wounds. Sage is also blind, but she’s determined not to be caught and captured by the dark forces after her and her Moonstone.
We conclude the issue with a long walk, the effects of hopelessness, and wounds too serious to cure.
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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MOONSTONE #1 begins a dark fantasy sage that pits the darkness against light in a kingdom ravaged by starvation and hopelessness. The character and world-building are very good, and the story is intriguing enough to check out a second issue. That said, the pacing and some aspects of the art are a little odd.
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