Comic Review: Isola #7

Isola #7

Image Comics

Writer: Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl

Artist: Karl Kerschl and MSassyK

Image Comics kicked off the year with a bang, bringing back Isola after the end of the first arc. Sadly, #6 didn’t pack the punch I was hoping for–instead, it felt like a filler issue, but #7, two months later, is still a welcome sight. Yes, you read that correctly, two months. Isola is now a bi-monthly publication. But enough logistics, let’s get into what Rook and the cursed Queen Olwyn face this month.

Story:

After stealing supplies from an army outpost in #6, Rook and the queen continue on their journey in search of the mythical land of Isola. Their route takes them to an ancient quarry. In the cliff face is carved a huge statue with a shrine at its feet. Locals that live in the caves nearby, identify Queen Olwyn, not as queen, but as much more than just a beautiful tiger right away. They invite Rook and the queen to stay with them as the hour grows late. But not all is right within this little community. There are no children. They have all been taken by someone. . . or something.

Characters:

Like previous issues of Isola, Rook and Queen Olwyn are the only two persistent characters. The little boy Rook met in #6 is two months away and nothing but a distant memory. The people who live in the caves present new and interesting problems to Rook and Olwyn, but they seem like more of a simple catalyst for a minor plot arc, so far. While the relationship between Rook and Olwyn, their history and character development is sprinkled in throughout this series, I’m still waiting for other characters to take up a more active role in the story. However, with the introduction of these cave dwellers, it seems as though Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl are content with the introduction of new characters on a regular basis. It is the one irksome facet of this series thus far. The result: I am unsure who to root for other than Rook and her queen.  But what is, perhaps, more frustrating is the lack of an identifiable antagonist.

Art:

As always, Kerschl’s and Msassyk’s art is breathtaking. In previous issues, it was the scope of wild and awesome monsters that drew me in. However, in #7, it’s the atmospheric landscape of the quarry and caves. The art gives the feeling that this is a land of real antiquity where kingdoms and empires have risen and fallen.