Gunnerkrigg Court is a free, serialized, online graphic novel updated page by page on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It took me awhile to warm to Tom Siddell's heroine, Antimony, and her strange school. But once I did, I found myself really looking forward to spending time in Gunnerkrigg Court.
At first glance, Gunnerkrigg Court is a Harry Potter wanna-be: a young girl, practically an orphan, enrolls in the magical school where her parents and their friends (now teachers at the school) were once students, only to find she has special talents critical to the fate of her community. Despite sharing this basic premise with the Harry Potter series, Gunnerkrigg Court has its own well-developed speculative world, its own vast cast of charming characters, and an interesting theme quite different from that in J.K. Rowling's books. Gunnerkrigg Court is decidedly a fun story in its own right.
From the opening pages of the graphic novel, Siddell sets up the main conflict of the story: science and technology vs. magic and nature. Gunnerkrigg Court is a place where advanced scientists and magical creatures meet, mingle...and sometimes kill each other. Besides creating an interesting story, this theme is very relevant to a world in which people are going hiking, using the compass application on their iPhone, a world interested in combining and reconciling our "magical" sense of wonder and our connection to nature, with the fruit of scientific reason and technological advancement.
Showing posts with label graphic novel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label graphic novel. Show all posts
Monday, April 13, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Phoenix Requiem
More fun than working, and free, too- if you've never followed an online graphic novel, you might consider giving Sarah Ellerton's The Phoenix Requiem a try. The Phoenix Requiem is a Victorian-style fantasy tale with horror overtones and just enough polite sexual tension to keep things interesting. The artwork is pretty- Ellerton renders her human characters with warmth and humor, and her supernatural beings are appropriately ethereal or horrid, depending on whether they are spirits or shades.
At first I wasn't sold on heroine, Anya, a marriage-averse guy magnet. Anya is a doctor in training, fighting against the idea that a woman's place is in the home. Based on the feminist premise, I feared she'd become a one-sided character- but Anya's struggle is mostly with herself, as she attempts to balance her career goals and personal desires. This conflict resonates well with modern audiences of both sexes, and when combined with Anya's genuine empathy for the health and well-being of those around her, creates an endearing heroine.
The Phoenix Requiem is a work in progress. I just finished reading up to Volume 3. Ellerton posts 2-3 pages twice a week. Those who enjoy watching the novel take form, little by little, can eagerly await each new post. I prefer to let several chapters build up, and then pig out on Phoenix Requiem fun.
At first I wasn't sold on heroine, Anya, a marriage-averse guy magnet. Anya is a doctor in training, fighting against the idea that a woman's place is in the home. Based on the feminist premise, I feared she'd become a one-sided character- but Anya's struggle is mostly with herself, as she attempts to balance her career goals and personal desires. This conflict resonates well with modern audiences of both sexes, and when combined with Anya's genuine empathy for the health and well-being of those around her, creates an endearing heroine.
The Phoenix Requiem is a work in progress. I just finished reading up to Volume 3. Ellerton posts 2-3 pages twice a week. Those who enjoy watching the novel take form, little by little, can eagerly await each new post. I prefer to let several chapters build up, and then pig out on Phoenix Requiem fun.
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