Westron #1 Indie Comic Review- A New Detective is on the Case!
From Fandom Limb Media
Written by Shawn McBee & M.J Jankowski
Art By Nicolás Nieto & Matías De Vincenzo
Westron, is a brand new indie comic series with a central stoic detective protagonist, taking inspiration from the classic big names in detective fiction like Sherlock Holmes & Hercule Poirot, with an added mystic sensibility that conjures to mind the likes of Mulder and Scully from the cult classic X-Files television series. Whether you are a fan of the steadily unfolding mystery narrative, or a consistent enjoyer of the curiously occult, Werstron offers a wide range of appeal in just the first issue alone.
If you have been following my reviews for some time, then you know (or at least suspect) that I have an affinity for historical fiction and magical realism, which are both definitely evident in this tantalizing debut series from Fandom Limb Media. What I love most about fiction with a historical or mythological edge is the opportunity to passively invest and learn about cultures and beliefs that I was unfamiliar with. In the case of Westron, the first issue offers glimpses into Slavic culture and myth in a refreshing, personal way from co-writer M.J Jankowski, layering what could be a traditional narrative of a hardened, worldly detective into an exploration of a fringe otherworld with specific, grounded context to back it up.
However, if I had to choose a favorite aspect of Westron to highlight for interested readers (and I probably should) it has to be the shifting art styles from Nicolás Nieto & Matías De Vincenzo serving as the present and past perspectives of the story of our titular hero. While the bulk of the story unfolds with Nieto’s stark, realistic approach reminiscent of artists like Tim Sale, the perspective shift to the past ushers in the fairytale-esque, off-kilter, colorful, artistic approach from Vincenzo, which invites the reader into the world of the story even more.
As I have already mentioned, Westron is a series with Issue 1 functioning as Chapter 1 of 4, and the creator’s need your help in order to bring this creative, emotional new work to life. If you are reading this review, then please support the Kickstarter on June 1st or, at the very least, share the link so that horror and mystery fiction fans alike can find a new series to fall in love with like I have!
Let’s delve more specifically into Westron Issue #1, which means,
WARNING! MINOR PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD! PLEASE SUPPORT THE RELEASE IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE!
Our story opens on two sisters, Natalia and Astrid, as they journey alone through sinister woods on the way to a clandestine party. However, not long into their journey, the duo are startled by movement in the trees and the sudden appearance of two horrifically red eyes in the blackness towering above them. In the aftermath, the local police are left baffled by the grotesque, confusing murder scene, and left with no choice but to call in an expert- Jan Westron.
Intriguingly, before we cut to our hero, we are first witness to a scene in which a mysterious figure breaks into Westron’s office, and seemingly reads the case file of the mystery we are about to see unfold, suggesting an even deeper narrative and sliding timeline than is presented in the first issue, which I find exciting.
As this mysterious figure reads, we find Jan Westron reading the newspaper on a train home from another far-flung mystery in Germany in 2011, before his revelry is interrupted by an urgent note informing him of the case of the two sisters. Just as Westron muses in his writings about “home having to wait,” he is interrupted once more by an attractive blonde woman asking his assistance to remove her luggage from overhead. It is here that we get our first account of Westron’s innate skills as a detective, as he scans the stranger over, noticing every out of place detail about her, particularly all of the stolen items adorning her body.
This full page is an excellently displayed, character revealing sequence that allows the reader to connect with and inquire more about our hero detective, hinting at his skills and the scope of our mystery saga. It is small but effective narrative details like this that contribute towards making Westron feel like a truly capable and thorough indie series that readers can feel safe investing their time and energy in. Especially, with the added insight of Westron’s early life and encounters with the unseen mystifying forces of this world that we are treated with in the latter half of the issue as a parallel unfolding tale.
As for the developing mystery that Westron finds himself caught in the middle of, as a reviewer granted a glimpse into the events of Issue #2, then let me just say that horror fans in particular will be enamored with some of the spectacular designs and hair-raising action sequences forthcoming, all with that added intriguing element of Slavic Mythology that I attested to previously.
Please support Fandom Limb Media and all of the superbly talented individuals that have worked so hard on this series by checking out the fundraiser for Westron on June 1st! Do your part in helping independent art get made, where your investment truly matters most. This series has the potential to become a cult classic, let’s make it happen!
-Nicholas Aaron Hodge
