The Moon Is Following Us #1 Review

 

Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson

Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Riley Rossmo

Colorist: Mike Spicer

Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 18, 2024

 

Sam and Duncan need a special weapon to rescue their six-year-old daughter, Penny. If they wait for Tash to arrive, they may miss Pigface. Should Sam and Duncan storm the fortress guarded by Cascade soldiers? Or is there another way to meet the arms dealer? Let's grab our guns and swords, leap into The Moon Is Following Us #1, and see what happens!

 

Story

The clock is ticking, and Sam is tired of waiting. She and her husband have trained hard and gained combat experience. Sam believes that if you want something in life, you don't wait for it to arrive. Sam hopes their companion will support her argument. But Brio refuses to participate in a family feud.

 

Life has taught Duncan to be cautious. Failure may not be an option, but it’s always a possibility. Duncan begs her to reconsider. His wife refuses to wait a minute longer for Tash. Sam agrees to do it Duncan's way and sneak into the fortress. Duncan is grateful for that concession. Still, he believes Tash would have a better plan.

 

When they reach the fortress in The Moon Is Following Us #1, Sam’s Bull In A China Shop attack puts the fortress on high alert. Now, instead of slipping in quietly, husband and wife are storming the castle. They measure each step in bullets and blood. Along the way, they find Tash. Their advisor helps them dispatch all the nearby guards. Still, after the immediate conflict ceases, Sam worries that Duncan isn’t fully invested in their fight to free their daughter.

 

After securing Pigface's weapon, Sam and Duncan also need an escape plan. But first, they must sacrifice part of themselves. In Daniel Warren Johnson’s High Fantasy story, heroes gain nothing without cost. Even their best attempts may fail. But while Duncan's reserve irritates Sam, he doesn’t just want his daughter back. When, like Tash and Pigface, Duncan leaves this world behind, he wants it to be with his entire family.

 

Art

Duncan wears synthetic modern armor with a thick arm covering reminiscent of Thorin's oaken shield. Sam wears long armored boots, a bikini, and a spiked helmet in The Moon Is Following Us #1. While Duncan carries a rifle, Sam carries an RPG with a sword affixed as a bayonet. Brio wears a crown and carries a backpack, a bedroll, and the longest firearm. Daniel Warren Johnson and Riley Rossmo’s frog prince smokes a cigarette while he waits. When Sam leads her companion to a precipice, they gaze across a chasm. A castle rises in the distance. A Pegasus circles above the towers. Whatever bridge once aided travelers no longer exists. Sam and Duncan must find a route to the valley. Then, they must scale the fortress' natural defense and stone walls. Either that or take the long, winding road to the castle gates.

 

Mike Spicer lavishes a palette of soft pastels on The Moon Is Following Us #1. Sam’s pink and gold attire and Duncan's green armor glow against teal grass, grey stone, and purple sky. The black Cascade warriors have four legs, a donut chest, and a green face you might not want in your family portrait. Gray shadows fall on vivid flesh tones, clothes, and armor, while purple foregrounds complement gray and purple-gray backgrounds. Yellow invades the background during extreme violence, such as when orange blood sprays from the black-and-green Cascade soldiers. A forked branch aids Tash's footsteps. The hunchback's cape resembles wings composed of fabric swatches. The multiarmed Pigface resembles a humanoid bat with a porcine hat. When Pigface spreads his wings, buyer beware!

 

Black uppercase lettering in white and colored dialogue balloons hover over our heroes in The Moon Is Following Us #1. Amid the highly detailed and richly colored art, the dialogue shrinks for lowered voices and rarely emboldens or swells. Sound effects heighten the clash of arms, while screams and shouts accentuate an intense final battle. Thanks to Image for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Technology, magic, and fairy tales collide in The Moon Is Following Us #1. The fantasy adventure celebrates creativity and imagination, the power of dreams, and parents' love for their children.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

For more cover art and a trailer see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.