SUN ON THE CEILING #1, from TRU/Comics, begins a fable about retired rapper Chris Ra who steps back into the recording industry when his sister needs help with her album.
The Details
- Written by: Devante Jeffries
- Art by: Iris Juan Alejandro
- Colors by: Iris Juan Alejandro
- Letters by: Iris Juan Alejandro
- Cover art by: Iris Juan Alejandro
- Cover price: Free
- Release date: Available now
Is It Good?
SUN ON THE CEILING #1 is a modest start to a story about the highs and lows of fame in the recording industry. The first issue is only seven pages of content, so either the following issues will be meatier or the story will continue in a quick succession of deliveries.
The subject matter is interesting. It’s rare to see any comic creators focusing on rappers and the music recording industry as a story setting, so the backdrop, the environment, and the players are intriguing. If this series continues, the potential for unique scenarios is limitless.
That said, there isn’t much meat to this first issue as it serves as little more than a prologue. You’re introduced to Chris Ra and West, the son of a former acquaintance, poolside at a hotel. That’s all. The dialog is very rough as the characters speak in phrases and unfinished sentences, but Alejandro’s art aids in the storytelling with gestures and body language.
The art is generally good. Alejandro’s linework is clean, and the coloring is excellent. However, there is a down point in the lettering. Alejandro chose to overlay every page with Ben-Day dots to achieve a newsprint feel, but by coloring in the word balloons, the dialog was difficult to read in spots. The lettering is a case of sacrificing clarity for style, and that’s a no-no, especially where the font was intentionally smaller.
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 sitting on a dock on a tropical island at night. He’s scrolling through his phone and considering deleting a few group photos. He recalls a moment when members of the group in the photo were arguing over creative differences, and he’s snapped out of his memory by the recollection of a gunshot.
The next morning, the man sits poolside at the local hotel when he’s approached by a 14-year-old boy. The boy, West, recognizes the man as a former rapper, Chris Ra, and introduces himself. The boy says Ra knew his father.
We conclude the issue with family memories, questions, and the start of answers.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
SUN ON THE CEILING #1 is a prologue with potential. The context is unique for most any comic available, and the coloring and linework are solid.
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
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.