Pull up a hay bale while I tell you a story
This first issue introduces us to Virgin Jackson a Senior Ranger in Park Western, a western(as in the American West) theme reserve where you can see the west as it was. Only the park sits in the middle of a futuristic Australian megacity.
There’s been a death in the park and parks bosses have brought in an American Marshall to track down the culprits. The conflict between Ranger and Marshall, liberated woman and ol’ fashioned lawman is established. There’s also a hat tip to mysticism with Virgin ‘seeing’ totemic animals.
Calamity Jane meets Mega City One?
In some ways it has a similar feel as Glitter Rose, it’s a slipstream piece that ties together several genre’s western, sci-fi, supernatural and maybe a little romance. It could easily have been Calamity Jane meets Megacity One, but its got a distinctive and original Pierres’ touch.
The first comic is 12 pages long, which did feel a little short to me, but it was enough to set the scene, establish the characters, and reveal the conflicts. It ends on a minor cliff hanger and I am more than intrigued to pick up issue 2.
My lack of comic book/graphic novel reading leaves me at a disadvantage when commenting on the art. In short I think Sutherland has done a great job with colours, the landscape looks right for a future Australia and the comic flows well visually.
I viewed it on my laptop and it would probably be a delight to read on an IPad or other colour reader.
It’s currently 99 cents, future issues will retail at $2.99.
