Shahrazad 3

It seems the world itself is out for Shahrazad's head, but there is one who finds her life intriguing, if not impossible.  Janus sends Shahrazad to the arena to see if he can create an ending for this woman whose future is impossible to see.

By now if you’ve read prior reviews I’ve done for this series, you know I’m very much a big fan.  On the off chance this is your first insight into the world of Shahrazad, you should know you’ve found a great title to start reading.  So much has already happened in just the first three issues that I’ve seen, and I’m sure there is quite a lot more in store.

Three chapters in, and we see our heroic captain (among other roles it seems) coming face to face with the mysterious figure from the end of issue two.  His presence is one of great power, and is a fantastic counterpart to Shahrazad’s strong role.  He seems to know quite a lot about her past, but oddly, nothing of what her future holds.  That is, assuming she lives past the challenge he forces her to take part in.

We’ve already seen some fantastic art by Krome and Ruffino in our first two issues, and the momentum does not slow down.  Past the wonderfully drawn characters and world as a whole, there are a couple pages that really stood out here for me towards the end.  One specifically was done really well with a contrast of two separate, but very similar events that are mirrored so perfect.

If for some reason this does happen to be your only knowledge of this great series, it’s not too late to get started from issue one.  Things are only just starting to open up, and even so, quite a lot of great content has been packed into three books.  Shahrazad should easily be one of the titles on everybody’s read list, and is proudly on mine.

For more information on Shahrazad, check out Big Dog Ink.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Shahrazad 2

The Sirens of legend have been held against their will for centuries on end. But will Shahrazad save them or leave them to their fate?

I normally don’t jump to conclusions as to how strongly I feel about a new read or watch.  For the most part I try to give it a few until I decide whether I like it.  Shahrazad was one of those that I couldn’t help but be immediately enthusiastic about from the start.  While still very early in the series, it is still grabbing my attention just as strongly.

The adventure, or possibly adventures as I should properly say, continues with our second issue of our leading lady.  Only a couple pages in, we get to see a little more insight as to just how many past (or future?) journeys she has been on.  We also see a peek at who appears to be an upcoming protagonist for the story, and he looks like someone to not mess with.  Also of note, we still have fighter bats, and this time they’re riding into a very atypical storm that fights back.

As anyone who reads Big Dog books should come to expect, the art is consistently awesome throughout the book.  Mike and Nei are proving to be an excellent team for this title, showing us the amazing world that the story takes place in.  One page in particular I really enjoyed, where they flawlessly melded three different appearances of Shahrazad into one.

There’s no doubt at all that I’m going to read this title for as long as it goes, which hopefully will be a good while.  The story is really intriguing and gives you just enough to thirst for more, while not leaving you unsatisfied.  If you’re not on board already for this book, you most definitely should be.

For more information on Shahrazad, check out Big Dog Ink.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Shahrazad 1

A new heroine rises from the legends of the ancient world. Shahrazad was known for her amazing stories of 1001 Arabian Nights, but now it is time to tell her story! She lives a life unlike anything you could imagine.  An existence that spans generations as well as genres.  In this new ongoing series, Shahrazad stares into the storms on the horizon with determination, but the forces of nature, and of history, are not to be taken lightly!

It says a lot about how intriguing a comic is when you end up on a wiki page to find out more about the source material.  Granted, it’s not often that you’d run into a book taking its roots from material that you grow curious about.  But then again, Shahrazad is definitely unique in its own wonderful way like that.  This uniqueness and multiple other factors are what make it such a incredible read as you’ll see.

For those who may also be unaware, Shahrazad was the storyteller of One Thousand and One Nights - think Aladdin, Ali Baba and Sinbad.  The twist this time though, is that Shahrazad herself is the one living all of the fantastic adventures.  This initial tale has her on the high seas, with an old school naval feel mixed with modern day technology.  Throw in fighter bats (yes, you read that right), giant squid and mermaids (not Disney friendly mind you), and you have a great foundation for a long series of stories.

Filling this fun book are some of the most gorgeous pages of art you’ll see.  Mike Krome takes charge of the pencil work, which all tells just as superb of a visual story as the writing does.  To top it off, Nei Ruffino once again lays down some of the most stunning colors around to truly make the artwork pop.  Plus, a bonus that I’m personally excited about is J Scott Campbell giving us “B” covers for each issue.

If I had one regret about this book, it’s that I never took the time to jump on it sooner.  The story and artwork both come together to bring us one of the nicest titles I’ve had the pleasure of opening.  Don’t let this one pass you by, and make sure you check this off on your pull list.  I’ll certainly be adding this to my regular reading.

For more information on Shahrazad, check out Big Dog Ink.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.