The Callous Blog

Torchlight Lullaby by Ryan Fisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a webcomic artist, I've known the author for quite a long time and have enjoyed his previous forays into comic strips. But having made the transition into writing comic books myself, I can say that Ryan Fisher's accomplishment with Torchlight Lullaby is gargantuan.

It's a thoroughly enjoyable all-ages read with tight pacing and a lovable lead character. There's a sense of urgency from the get-go which makes it a page-turner, but the comic is strongest during its slower moments when the overarching machinations behind the whole fantastic adventure is revealed.

Where the book is weakest is in the art, which isn't saying it's not good because it is. However, it is clear that Fisher is a developing artist which is particularly evident to those who have the single-issue previews. The artwork in the final book is an improvement over those in the previews and it makes one wonder what the book would have looked like had it been produced a bit later, when Fisher had further developed his skills. Nevertheless, it does work in this book to its advantage, having that dreamy, ethereal quality that lends itself very well to this kind of story.

Another thing that irked this reviewer ever-so-slightly (which means this is just a matter of personal taste) is this book's rendition of the 80's snarky sidekick, a mouse called Winchell. Early on in the tale, Winchell's snide remarks seemed a tad out-of-place. But further along the story, the character does come off a lot more heartfelt and sincere. This may just be because 80's snarky sidekicks that I enjoyed are few and far between. I liked Hoggle from Labyrinth. Snarf from the original Thundercats? Not as much. I didn't dislike Winchell enough to not want a plushie though.

Nevertheless, these nitpicks are just that, very minor and never truly affected my enjoyment of this book. Especially once you get to the end. It is a gut-punch to anyone with a heart and perhaps shows how personal this tale is to the author. It's a gorgeous-looking book with a fantastic premise and a moving story. Enthralling from start to finish.

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