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| Monarch #1 Cover A by Alex Lins |
This review previously published on The Comic Book Dispatch
Monarch #1 Review
Writer: Rodney Barnes
Artist: Alex Lins
Colorists: Luis Nct & Mar Silvestre Galiotto
Letterer: Marshall Dillon
Publisher: Image
Price: 3.99
Release Date: February 8, 2023
Travon is one of the lucky ones: an orphan who found a loving home with kindly Miss Wilamae and his new sister Marli in Compton, California. Fellow orphan Zion terrorizes Travon every day, unwilling to let him forget that Travon’s gain comes at the expense of his missing out on school and the foster system. When a strange cloud settles over the Los Angeles area, changing their world forever, can the two set aside their differences and face the future together? Let’s dive into Monarch #1 and find out!
Story
Movies like Independence Day and Battle: Los Angeles, and TV series like V and “Falling Skies, have accustomed us to the idea of alien motherships raining death and destruction upon the City of Angels. But it's not a familiar pretext that determines whether a reader will enjoy a particular story, but what the storyteller does with it.
Writer Rodney Barnes holds our interest by focusing tight on Travon. We see the world through his young eyes. Travon found his place by working hard at school, looking after his young adoptive sister, prizing his friends, and returning his foster mother’s affection. His nemesis Zion, unable to do these things, blames Travon because the system failed him.
Rodney also makes this oft-told tale unique through story structure. First, we see the aliens attack his school. Then he backpedals to Travon’s life before the attack. Finally, he ends with Travon scavenging for food and resources. He overlays this 2nd Act/1st Act/Final Act structure with narration from a seemingly older, wiser Travon. It’s a difficult juggling act to pull off successfully, but the reader never feels lost. By the end, we see how Travon’s journey has prepared him for life in this alien-dominated world.
Art
Alex Lins employs a relaxed style. Characters are drawn realistically and convey emotion well. Shadows and the occasional silhouette add substance and drama. Action lines accentuate character motion and explosive force. Trees sway in the breeze, and papers flutter to the ground. While he apes a child’s style, Alex makes every panel count. Standouts include Travon gazing out the window through his reflection at the vast, angry cloud hanging over his city and the cloud reflected on the lenses of Travon’s glasses.
Luis Nct, assisted by Mar Silvestre Galiotto, colors Travon’s world in soft, muted tones. Pastels color the outside world, while earth tones warm rooms in Travon's home and school. Colors clash during acts of graphic violence but never sensationalize. Luis and Mar's limited color palette aids Alex's homey drawings to suggest that Travon relates his story with the few art materials available.
While Marshal Matt Dillon upheld the law on TV's Gunsmoke, letterer Marshall Dillon corrals our attention with his easy-to-read upper-case lettering. Colored narrative boxes and pleasingly spherical dialogue balloons help us follow Travon’s flight from aliens, return the love of his family, stand up to his nemesis Zion, and take responsibility for his friends. Marshall stresses the occasional word with bold lettering. His font never shrinks when characters lower their voices but grows for shouts. Sound effects, while rare and subdued, get your attention.
Final Thoughts
This coming-of-age story covering the trials of inner-city foster children reminds us of the need to let go of injuries and rejection to embrace the possibilities life offers. Through a multi-layered storytelling approach, Monarch #1 transforms a familiar premise into a beautiful and unique reminder about the fulfilling and freeing power of acceptance and love.
Rating: 9.5/10
To see the preview art for this issue, see My Review at The Comic Book Dispatch
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