Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1 Review

 

Here's an edited version of a comic I originally reviewed three years ago. It's currently free to read on Neon Ichiban. 

 

Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1 Review

Writer: Mike Mignola

Artist & Colorist: Jesse Lonergan

Letterer: Clem Robins

Cover Artists: Jesse Lonergan; Mike Mignola with Dave Stewart

Publisher: Dark Horse

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 17, 2023

 

In 1883, Tefnut Trionus, the Queen of the Heliotropic Brotherhood, asked Miss Truesdale to attend her. She realized that the men of their order—dedicated to preserving the secrets of a long-forgotten age--were making Miss Truesdale's life difficult. But how can Tefnut—the reincarnation of Eugene Remy, who founded the Heliotropic Brotherhood—force Victorian gentlemen to accord Miss Truesdale more respect? Let's unsheathe our swords, leap into Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1, and find out!

 

Story

After making the arduous journey from England to France, Miss Truesday attends Tefnut Trionus. Like the god Anum-Ra, Tefnut's vision ranges far and wide. But Tefnut is a mortal. She believes she has received her final vision. And the person she wants to share it with is Miss Truesdale.

 

In Tefnut's dream, one woman spends her days in the gladiatorial ring. The second brings her food and drink after her battles. The servant views the axe-wielding warrior as the savior of her people. But the gladiator, who has wearied of these games of slaughter, sees them as equals.

 

After discussing Tefnut's dream, Miss Truesdale returns home. Weary after another long journey, she seeks divine help in incorporating the vision into her daily life. Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1 speaks to how governments stratify society to control the population. Yet Mike Mignola’s story reminds us that, despite the odds stacked against us, anyone can become a leader.

 

Art

Jesse Lonergan's hand-drawn imagery imbues his characters with personality. He shows how violence excites us without glamorizing the brutality of the gladiatorial ring. Most Hyperboreans look large and roughly shaped in Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1.

 

The characters of this earlier age contrast with Tefnut, the prim and proper Miss Truesdale, and the Victorian gentlemen of the brotherhood. The architecture of this earlier age also contrasts with Victorian London, as Miss Truesdale walks along the cobblestone streets to her well-appointed flat. Although the males of her order may not respect her, she seems respectful, erudite, and reverent.

 

Lonergan employs a limited color palette in Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1. Yellow, red, brown, and gray are his primary colors. He dabs darker tones or contrasting colors to build depth and interest. His faces evoke Roman frescoes assembled from tiny clay tiles.

 

Letterer Clem Robins fills white balloons with uppercase black lettering. Words in beige boxes locate us in time and space. Sound effects fill the air as the crowd’s chanting rebounds off the stands circling the arena. Thanks to Neon Ichiban and Dark Horse Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

When Tefnut Trionus, the Queen of the Heliotropic Brotherhood, believes her days on the throne are nearing their end. After looking around for a replacement, she summons a shy true believer to her flat in Paris. Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1 illustrates how easy it is to fall into society’s roles, and the courage it takes to expand beyond them.

 

Rating 8/10

 

To read, set up a Neon Ichiban account. Once you've "bought" it, you can read it anytime. But Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1 may only be free this week.  

 

To travel back in time (and be appalled by my poor writing), read my original review of Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea #1.