<STRIKE>Okay, I think I understand how this works (I hope): Placeholder for Arkaina.</STRIKE>
ARKAINA
It's a wonderful self-indulgence to have a reason to lie on the couch on a sunny Saturday and read a webcomic from start to current installment.
I was glad for a chance to review
Arkaina. In the areas the artist is good, she really excels. But there are areas that are weak, too. That only makes sense. Not every work is going to be perfect from the get-go. At the risk of sounding stuffy, because I don't know how many comics Cheryl has created in the past, I'd consider
Arkaina to be a great early-career effort, a steppingstone to future work. The "About" section says Arkaina was created nine years ago--I'm not sure whether that means the story concept was created, or the actual writing, and whether the artist was a kid when she first wrote it, or whatever. The FAQ indicates that the art is being created now.
Website
All the usual categories are in the sidebar, each page containing just enough information (the cast section can expand as time goes on). The site is nice to look at, with as warm a palette as the comic itself, but the banner image pushes the actual comic (or other content) almost off the screen on my laptop. I'm sure most users have a similar problem. This is a waste of screen real estate that doesn't add to the comic. If the artist doesn't want to make the banner shorter, I suggest using the large banner on a separate "intro" page (I know some people don't like those) with navigation links and update information (like
The Antagonist). Then put the latest comic installment on its own page with a smaller banner at the top. The comic itself is tall anyway (in "page" format rather than "strip" format); I was mildly irritated by having to scroll twice to see the latest installment. Okay, that's not that hard, but why have any barrier between the reader and the story at all?
Also, when going through the archives, the last "next" arrow doesn't click through to the current comic. In general, though, I am liking the next and previous arrows, set at the vertical center of the page, very much.
Story
The prologue explains: It's the year 2063, and the offspring of demons and angels fight for supremacy over an earth that is almost bare of natural resources, and someone called Lady Arkaina is the people's hope for setting the world right again. Personally, I don't like having to read a page of set-up before getting into the good stuff of a comic--you know, the part with pictures. But I wouldn't have minded if the first page had an illustration or if the words were superimposed over a landscape or some such thing. In a printed comic, we'd have the cover art and maybe a facing page to enhance the presentation of a chunk of back-story, rather than just type. Also, I almost missed the last sentence, waaay down at the bottom of a big blank space. That'll work if the comic is printed. But since it's currently online, and there's no art on this page, there's no reason to make this page so tall that the last sentence is likely to fall off the bottom. I only scrolled down because I'm reviewing the comic. As a casual reader, I'd have just clicked the next arrow. And speaking of that last line, why is the comic called
Arkaina if this isn't her story?
The story proper starts with disruption and mystery, a nice young guy who frowns a lot (Matt), an interesting young gal who runs a lot (Sonja), and a kitty (who doesn't like a guy with a kitty?). The mystery ratchets up, then the story lets loose with some action and, as of the current comic, is still revving up the action.
Some of the dialogue gets a little cliche ("Get out here right now or the kid gets it"). And some of the world-logic is fuzzy. I'm not entirely sure why bat-winged beings who can bounce back after getting shot are surprised that the black-winged guy can handle getting stabbed, but Matt's invulnerability is a big plot point. Maybe if we'd seen bat-winged people getting shot/stabbed in the heart or getting a throat slit and actually dying, we'd understand that some wounds are different.
Of course, Matt on his own, beating up bad guys and healing himself, would not be interesting (no threat), so he has charge of Sonja, who can probably be damaged; and then there's Joel, who... well, we don't know anything about him yet, he's only been around for a few pages. He and Matt have history over some chick, whatever, I'm not really interested in two guys fighting over possession of a girlfriend, I'll wait and see how Matt's hurt ego influences his interaction with Joel and I'll wait and see what role Joel plays as the story continues.
My understanding of who's a bad guy and who's a good guy wobbled a bit going into chapter 3. One would think the bat-wings are nastybad, but Matt gets angry with Sonja for being a criminal, even though he fights off the people who are after her, so... Well, it could be that I read through too quickly to get it. Matt hasn't heard about Arkaina, and his motivations for helping Sonja aren't all that clear. Is it really just for the possibility of getting paid? He just seems angry, and just going along with the plotline, just kinda wanting to help her because she needs help.... I dunno. I'd have liked to see more of his and Kathy's desperate financial situation. Heck, maybe if he'd chosen to feed the cat the last food in the cupboard rather than feed himself.
I wondered why they think being on a train will keep them safe from flying commandos.
Also, for a world dangling at the end of its rope (after decades of struggle, "energy, food, clothing are now considered a luxury," states the Prologue), there are a lot of shops, a large variety of clothing, fancy shoes and impractical heels, regular train service, lush forests and meadows, and nice looking apartments with potable running water. I think I saw a couple of boarded-up windows.
Twice, the artist explains herself in a footnote, for example:
"I know it may seem like Kathy is a bit of a nasty person, but she only acts this way when she smells a business opportunity." No, no, please--don't tell me, let me learn who Kathy is over the course of the story; or let me go ahead and think she's nasty; or just don't show her as being nasty. The story itself does make it clear a few pages later that her actions come from desperation to earn some cash. Let the readers get to know her by what she does. Don't tell us how to feel about her. We'll probably rebel.
Art
The art has an angular, stiff quality, but the artist has an excellent sense for cinematic scenes (this
gun angle); and using
shapes and poses and palette to set the mood; and
unusual perspectives. She expresses a broad range of body language and gesture. It's just that often the proportions and foreshortening aren't right.
The colouring is straightforward, simple, and easy on the eyes, very autumnal, which suits a world in decline. There are several great uses of dramatic lighting (I think the artist would do a kickass job as a colourist). The artist has a very 3D vision, like a sculptor able to see the characters and world from all sorts of different directions, and communicates this on the page. But the anatomy is inconsistent, all over the place.
Sometimes it's hard to distinguish faces (
this woman looks a lot like our hero). Toward the end two new characters are introduced, and, honestly, the guy has the same face as Matt and the woman has the same face as Kathy, and so do women in the background.
I've said this above, but I'll reiterate: Don't explain the comic in a footnote. (
"Note: Just so you know, Matt rolled up his sleaves in the seventh panel, that's why his shirt's different in the eigth.") Either have confidence the audience is processing both your art and the words, or change the art so that you communicate everything you intend.
I like seeing the artist take on so many action scenes, but
on this page there's a lot going on, and I can't tell what. There's
some pretty work in the gallery but the quality is inconsistent. Always nice poses, great gestures, the ones in colour have a nice palette; but often the proportions and foreshortening are just wrong. For example, an arm pointed toward the viewer will look larger, not tiny, but often in this comic it's drawn just the opposite. There are a lot of reference books out there with either photos of models or pencil sksetches or ink drawings showing poses from different angles, and there are books specifcally about foreshortening, and even books about foreshortening for comics. I encourage the artist to look into them (probably easier to find in print than online). It's not something that becomes natural immediately (I struggle so much with proportion myself), but over time, it does become second nature. I'd love to see this artist reach her full potential.
. But hey, work this good can't be rushed, can it? 
