Esmee #1
Geeky Comics 2014
Created & Written by: Victor Wright
Pencils by: Arief Muslian
Inks by: Chris Arieswendha
Colours by: Chimere Cavil
Reviewer: Steven Leitman
Summary: Conman Jack Bollard, finds his way into the arms of wealthy, French, Annabelle Cristof. Only to murder her within six months of marriage. His plans are thwarted, when he realises her riches are still out reach until his new step daughter comes of age. Furious, Jack plots to murder the girl - but it all goes wrong when he brings her home to London and turns her into a woman of the night and Esmee meets a thousand year old vampire.
Review: War, Horror, Crime, comics that make you look under the bed at night is how this company bills their books. Well while they may try to live up to that hype I’m not quite sure they’ve got it down pat yet. What they do have is a nice little book here that blends old and new elements together to create a new mytho for existing ones. This one blends Vampires with the world of Jack the Ripper in ways that are both unique and visionary, and I found that surprising and fun.
We start off in France in 1883 where we meet Lady Annabelle and her daughter Miss Esme going to a party. There, a man is enthralled by her and wants to know who she is, this man is named Jack. He’s smarmy, unscrupulous, manipulative, and quite dashing. This alone is an example of great characterization. While we don’t know who Jack is at this stage, we do know he’s out for himself and looking to score some easy money, in this case by claiming knowledge of Lady Annabelle and her departed husband Monsieur Cristoff and worming his way into her life.
Three years later Annabelle and Jack are married, and then within three years Annabelle is on her deathbed. There’s no real surprise here as to what happened to her but it’s interesting to see it all play out. One of the things I really enjoy about these little known self-press companies is the love and care they put into the book itself as they are kind of editing themselves and striving to make this the best it can possibly be. And actually get noticed and build a following that may someday lead to them getting picked up by a publisher and forming an imprint or being allowed to work through them.
Here Victor, Arief, Chris, and Chimere really put their work out for the world to see and I like that a lot. Yes, the interior artwork could use a bit more seasoning but that it doesn’t make it any less enjoyable, on the contrary it makes it rather cute. While it definitely could be darker and more menacing at times it does well in conveying what it needs to.
As the story unfolds, we get to see how Esmee becomes who she is and that is kind of exciting. Though with how she is now manipulating the man who attempted to do the same to her, and with my assumption from what we've already seen so far. We could even be seeing the creation of Jack the Ripper in all of this. So far, it may not make me look under the bed but it definitely has piqued my curiosity. This could a be a nice fun series to follow with some up and coming talent.
Editor's Note: To see about purchasing your own copy of Esmee #1, head here!
Geeky Comics 2014
Created & Written by: Victor Wright
Pencils by: Arief Muslian
Inks by: Chris Arieswendha
Colours by: Chimere Cavil
Reviewer: Steven Leitman
Summary: Conman Jack Bollard, finds his way into the arms of wealthy, French, Annabelle Cristof. Only to murder her within six months of marriage. His plans are thwarted, when he realises her riches are still out reach until his new step daughter comes of age. Furious, Jack plots to murder the girl - but it all goes wrong when he brings her home to London and turns her into a woman of the night and Esmee meets a thousand year old vampire.
Review: War, Horror, Crime, comics that make you look under the bed at night is how this company bills their books. Well while they may try to live up to that hype I’m not quite sure they’ve got it down pat yet. What they do have is a nice little book here that blends old and new elements together to create a new mytho for existing ones. This one blends Vampires with the world of Jack the Ripper in ways that are both unique and visionary, and I found that surprising and fun.
We start off in France in 1883 where we meet Lady Annabelle and her daughter Miss Esme going to a party. There, a man is enthralled by her and wants to know who she is, this man is named Jack. He’s smarmy, unscrupulous, manipulative, and quite dashing. This alone is an example of great characterization. While we don’t know who Jack is at this stage, we do know he’s out for himself and looking to score some easy money, in this case by claiming knowledge of Lady Annabelle and her departed husband Monsieur Cristoff and worming his way into her life.
Three years later Annabelle and Jack are married, and then within three years Annabelle is on her deathbed. There’s no real surprise here as to what happened to her but it’s interesting to see it all play out. One of the things I really enjoy about these little known self-press companies is the love and care they put into the book itself as they are kind of editing themselves and striving to make this the best it can possibly be. And actually get noticed and build a following that may someday lead to them getting picked up by a publisher and forming an imprint or being allowed to work through them.
Here Victor, Arief, Chris, and Chimere really put their work out for the world to see and I like that a lot. Yes, the interior artwork could use a bit more seasoning but that it doesn’t make it any less enjoyable, on the contrary it makes it rather cute. While it definitely could be darker and more menacing at times it does well in conveying what it needs to.
As the story unfolds, we get to see how Esmee becomes who she is and that is kind of exciting. Though with how she is now manipulating the man who attempted to do the same to her, and with my assumption from what we've already seen so far. We could even be seeing the creation of Jack the Ripper in all of this. So far, it may not make me look under the bed but it definitely has piqued my curiosity. This could a be a nice fun series to follow with some up and coming talent.
Editor's Note: To see about purchasing your own copy of Esmee #1, head here!