THE WEST MOON CHRONICLE #1, from Scout Comics on October 5th, 2022, visits the sleepy town of Vane, Texas, where an old man holds the line between humanity and the monsters that lurk in the dark woods.
The Details
- Written by: Frank Jun Kim
- Art by: Joe Bocardo
- Colors by: Manoli Martínez
- Letters by: El Torres
- Cover art by: Joe Bocardo
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: October 5, 2022
Is It Good?
THE WEST MOON CHRONICLE #1 is exactly the type of comic that ComicalOpinions was created to find. Every page turn is a surprise, and the story starts as a strange breeze that balloons into a tornado of wonder with each panel. When it’s all done, the world you know has suddenly grown exponentially larger through a wild, mystical adventure. Yes, this is a good comic.
Frank Jun Kim has a winner on his hands if he can keep up this level of storytelling craft. The basic plot revolves around a man who has fallen on hard times and visits his grandfather for help. As soon as the grandfather greets his grandson with a female companion in tow, you can instantly feel something isn’t quite right.
The secret to Kim’s success with this issue is “surprise.” The grandson’s visit is a surprise, the outcome of their meeting is a surprise, and the surprises just keep on coming. Between the surprises, Kim peppers in tidbits of information through an incredibly organic stream of dialog that tells you everything you need to know about their characters, their points of view, their backgrounds, and the reasons for their interpersonal conflict. The information is delivered with such ease that you don’t realize you’ve been given a large amount of exposition until the issue is done.
To be clear, this issue isn’t all talk and no action. On the contrary, there’s a surprising amount of action delivered with a style and energy that complements Kim’s writing beautifully. Bocardo’s creature designs strike a balance between whimsical and realistic, the fight scenes are well-choreographed, and the magical elements are captivating.
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 moonlit scene in Vane, Texas in October, 2019. An old man approaches the tree line of the nearby woods carrying a sword and shield. He’s suddenly attacked by goblin-like creatures who know the old man and previously warned him not to return.
Earlier, the old man, Mr. Rhee, receives a knock at his door. His grandson, Jae-Sun, has come with his female friend, Sunny, to try and convince Mr. Rhee to sell the land. Jae-Sun has unpaid debts to bad men, and he desperately needs the money to satisfy his obligations. Sunny slyly explains she’s just a friend, and she persuasively used her influence to buy Jae-Sun time to get the money.
Mr. Rhee quickly realizes something is amiss. He stands, walks over to a hidden panel in the wall, and takes hold of his sword. We conclude the issue with chases, monsters, arguments, and portals.
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)
THE WEST MOON CHRONICLE #1 is a shocking first issue in how well it creates a world of magic and monsters hidden within our own and fully develops the lead characters with masterful efficiency. Every aspect of this comic is a surprise we did not see coming, and it deserves our highest recommendation.
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.