“666 Bistro” is essentially one giant chase comic. It mostly centers around a washed up demon warlord named Archvold who is trying to deliver a hunk of meat to her friend’s newly opened café in Dis. And . . . that’s about all it has going on in terms of plot. However, what it lacks in narrative, it more than makes up for with its visuals, backgrounds, and overall sense of rhythm.
Written and Illustrated by Laura D. Graves
Archvold finally has a new job working at the restaurant 666 Bistro! She now works retail in HELL literally! Her boss is a cannibalistic chef extraordinaire and Archy now must search for rare and unique and exotic ingredients or her boss will use her instead!
It’s no small feat to sustain an enormous and involved action sequence for so long without it ever getting boring or redundant. But with an energetic sensibility, adorable and malleable character designs, and a sense of style so absurd it explodes off the page, Laura D. Graves’s “666 Bistro” is like running through a heavy metal album cover.
“666 Bistro” is a book that survives and thrives because of its art. Stories taking place within an alternate dimension demon-fused universe are a dime a dozen but Graves manages to to distinguish herself by doubling down on the visuals. This encompasses everything from the truly impressive and intricate backdrops bearing a James Stokoe-like level of detail to confident layouts and compositions to malleable character designs. Plot isn’t the guiding factor here, but Graves understands that and throws in plenty more elements to keep you engaged.
Graves has a strong instinct for staging and blocking. She wisely keeps the page in rectilinear panels on a fairly consistent three-tier grid. She cuts back and forth between these long wide shots and tighter close-ups, generating this high-octane beat. Which is cool because it also makes you feel even more like you’re part of this chase, running from a dragon demon thing right along with Archvold. There are also several moments where she captures some genuine surprise, especially as she escalates the things pursuing her protagonist; even though you probably could see these gags coming from miles away, they’re still funny.
Color is used carefully and cleverly throughout. (Actually, the copy I read was in black and white, which I had picked up at the Denver Independent Comic and Art Expo, but the online version is in full color.) She favors pastels, leaning heavily on pinks and mint green gradients. Mostly, Graves uses color to differentiate the numerous levels of “666 Bistro,” guiding us directly to the important part of the scene in these heavily-detailed environments.
Even though her backgrounds are loaded with detail, they never get in the way of the pace or rhythm of the book. They’re unobtrusive but provide an overall sense of the world, giving it a depth and history we don’t get out of the narrative. Her characters are distinct enough for you to easily tell them apart, but abstracted enough to project even more emotion and junk on them. Graves can bend and move their bodies in all sorts of biology-defining ways, and she does get some mileage out of the effect.
One of the most impressive elements is this enormous two-page spread when Archvold enters the city, littered with various references and Easter eggs to numerous other weird and horrific imagery. That level of detail actually carries through in the rest of the book, too, with backgrounds littered with odd architecture and neat little flourishes. I was a big fan of the demon skull water sprouts myself.
“666 Bistro” is a funny, well paced, and exciting comic. Laura D. Graves has infused the book with a dope style and she bears an incredibly detailed eye. What the book lacks in terms of narrative or plot, it more than makes up for in its exuberance and energy. It’s a wild ride and you want to go to this world so badly you’re liable to forget how dangerous it is.
