Week of 5/6/2024
This week, Struck v. Struck marks a close and I review chapter 2 of the ongoing comic Shatterstone.
The Shapes
Struck v. Struck 29-31
And that’s the end! What did you think of the storyline? Whether you loved, liked, hated, or found it simply meh, share your thoughts in the comments or reply to this email.
As I work on more buffer material, I'm sadly sliding back into yet another indefinite hiatus, but don't feel too down. In the meantime, in anticipation of an upcoming storyline involving everyone's favorite Cyclonian, Bob, I'll be rerunning his debut Close Encounters of the Bob Kind.
News
TCAF
As a reminder, I’m selling all physical and digital issues of The Shapes at the TCAF Digital Marketplace until May 24th alongside an eclectic lineup of several other alternative comics.
Sammy the Critic
Shatterstone Chapter 2 Review
If you’ve been following me long enough, you probably know I talked about the first chapter of Amanda J Ellis and Shawn R. Klopfer’s ongoing fantasy comic Shatterstone which I gave a praising review. But if you missed it, the TL;DR is that it’s about a young green orc named Emerald Shatterstone who, after being raised by an adoptive human father throughout her childhood, begins receiving intense training to be a fierce warrior from the red orc Ukakala, a strict maternal figure.
Their dynamic is explored further in this subsequent chapter by the climax, but before then, we’re treated to several pages of action as Emerald hunts for a wild boar for about half of the chapter. There are some narration boxes on the opening page that tersely introduces the four-year time skip. Afterward, the sequence is mostly wordless with the exception of a few brief soliloquies delivered by Emerald where she expresses a quick thought in the moment. Even without those parts, however, her multifaceted facial expressions speak volumes while the frequent shifts in perspective and posing make the scenes an exhilarating ride further accentuated by spirited special effects that always stick out yet blend in the environment so well.
Throughout these sequences, we also see Emerald’s personality shine. While years of training with Ukakala might have toughened up her externally, at heart, she’s still a sensitive soul, which becomes a source of moral conflict consequently as she confronts Ukakala’s ruthless rigor in a dramatic moment followed by an emotional bonding scene when Emerald runs to her father.
It’s going to be hard to address my next point without bringing up some spoilers, so if that will adversely affect your reading experience, just skip this paragraph. If there’s a gripe/concern I have with the chapter, it’s how prematurely the time skip occurs. We don’t get to see how Emerald and Ukakala’s dynamic evolves over the course of that time frame to further contextualize the former’s present state though, in all fairness, that could be something that will be depicted in the form of flashbacks later on. Since their interaction ends with Emerald storming off, presumably never wanting to see her again, I’m wondering if Ukakala will or how she’ll come into play in a subsequent appearance.
Overall though, Shatterstone Chapter 2 was a really solid, exciting installment. I’m just as looking forward to it as I am curious about what direction the plot will take next.
You can find chapters 1 and 2 on Kofi (The former has been made free to read!) and keep up with the ongoing chapters on Patreon.
Thank you Amanda J. Ellis & Shawn P. Klopfer for this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.