ADVANCED REVIEW: Delve Into a New Fantasy Epic in Crusader #1 (SPOILER-FREE)

Occasionally, a book lands on my desk that transports me into another world for minutes to hours at a time. It’s rare that I ever end up needing to review those books. Still, when I do, I often break the ‘no personal pronouns rule’ to elucidate everything unique about that particular literary art. Simply put, Crusader #1 is that kind of comic book. From its subtle and intelligent visual storytelling, distinctive art, and well-defined characters, the beginning of this new series could not have started any better.

It begins with an unnamed Templar Knight caught up in the heat of battle, tracking a blood trail left behind by one of his adversaries. Instead of encountering an enemy soldier, however, he stumbles upon a dark mystic ritual that propels him into a dying fantasy world full of peculiar creatures and perilous landscapes. Alongside a creature named Grimbel, the Templar sets off to locate another human encampment while being pursued by a menacing figure named Pilgrim.

From the outset of the book, there are a few essential things that it does really, really well. The first significant advantage of this book is just how well-crafted the writing is. It integrates character action and selective narration to establish how the Templar thinks and behaves sincerely. He’s an active follower and a steadfast, if stoic, man of action. When Grimbel is later introduced, his character is portrayed as subservient and timid, the two acting as similar yet entirely different reflections of one another, thus conveying the subtle and delicate themes the book will explore. Everything is driven by the characters and their unexpressed but easily discernible desires and requirements, rather than them being dragged along by overly enthusiastic plotting or narration.

This may sound like I’m praising what should be fundamental principles of fiction writing, but this issue manages to package all this together seamlessly. There’s a lot about the characters, and the worlds they inhabit that’s developed in the reader’s mind through silent writing techniques, utilizing an intuitive amount of show, don’t tell. It immerses you at a writing level because of how every aspect of storytelling flows and melds together. The dialogue, character interactions, and lettering maintain that immersive and captivating flow.

The second major triumph of this book is its visual storytelling. While very traditional, Emmons’ framing and visual style captivates the reader. There’s incredible detail, yet the art is never cluttered. Its characters and world are depicted in a cartoonish yet tangibly authentic and gritty style. Their emotions pour out thanks to their abstract peculiarities, but the violence carries weight due to the elements of their designs that are firmly grounded in reality. Emmons employs distinct color palettes and framing to convey plot elements through world design.

There’s genuinely an artisanal level of technique on display in this first issue that commands the reader’s attention and establishes an up-and-coming series.