Francis Sharp in the Grip of the Uncanny! Chapter 1
Just to make it clear, Brittney drew and co-wrote the book, with Anna being the other co-writer. As I usually put the writer first in the title, just wanted to make sure everybody understood that. So hey, Brittney is branching out into the world of graphic novels! I swear, if it wasn’t for the fine people at the Xeric Foundation, I shudder to think of the state of the small press comics world. Good thing that those TMNT guys have a genuine interest in promoting the medium. Anyway, this is the story of Francis Sharp, back in the days when a kid had to listen to the radio for his tales of mystery and intrigue. Francis is so caught up in the grips of these stories that he’s worrying his parents, and when he fails at watching the cattle it turns out to be the last straw and they have to sell the radio. A friend comes over to listen to the show, they end up playing outside because of the lack of a radio, and then chase a mysterious, half-seen creature through the forest. His friend gets caught on something, Francis forges ahead, and the next thing you know… well, look at the sample image. I love how this child who lives mostly in his own head, with a clear love for fantasy and odd creatures, turns into a shrieking machine when confronted with something that is actually fantastic. He spends the night hiding under a stoop until he is discovered in the morning by one of the inhabitants of this odd town, and it quickly becomes apparent that he’s not from around those parts. This first volume seems to be setting things up for future adventures, as we’re mostly dealing with Jack, the split between his rich fantasy life and his dreary home life, and the first early hints of what exactly the new town is all about. Oh, and the slight problem that there doesn’t seem to be a way for Francis to get home. I love the idea of setting it in a time where wonder was still an option, before technology could be used as the answer to a number of mysteries. I hope the two of them have big plans for this, and I hope that they can scrounge up the money to keep putting the chapters out in such gorgeous packages, as I was thoroughly taken in by this story. Francis freaking out at all the “monsters” was a perfect touch, as he may have a vivid imagination, but a child being exposed to that sort of thing probably would freak out a bit. I think this qualifies as “all ages” too, if you happen to have a small child who appreciates good adventure stories, but there’s also plenty here to keep an adult interested. $10
