As a series, “Elsewhere” posits that the most exciting adventures of Amelia Earhart’s life did not occur until after she went missing. Her disappearance led her to a magical realm of flying creatures, fantastic peoples, and floating continents. Now, trying to make her way home, one has to wonder whether there is substance to these adventures, or if they are just supposed to be a quick, fun diversion. More thoughts and spoilers follow.
Written by Jay Faerber
Illustrated by Sumeyye Kesgin
Colored by Ron Riley
Lettered by Thomas Mauer
Amelia and DB face new threats on their journey across Korvath. But the biggest threat comes from within…!
When “Elsewhere” #6 works best, it is as an airy piece of escapism. The series is fun in the way a swashbuckling series like this should be. The world is just the right amount of fantastic, with each issue introducing some new part of this world that they are existing in. In this issue, we are given floating islands, held down to the earth by giant, metal chains, no one knowing how the first got there.
These details about the world are what make “Elsewhere” work the best. The fantastic world can almost make you forget how thinly sketched the characters in this are, or if not forget, at least not really care. When the series has its forward momentum, it doesn’t matter the characters themselves don’t have much of an inner life. There is nothing wrong with a series built on being a little bit of escapism. But, when it reaches for emotion from these characters, when it tries to have character moments and have the reader really feel for the characters, “Elsewhere” #6 falls flat.
With every issue of “Elsewhere,” Sumeyye Kesgin is able to bring life to its world. The environments that Kesgin creates for the characters, whether it be a grimy city street or the aforementioned chained islands, all feel of a piece while providing a great variety in the world around them. Those great chains that are holding down the islands provide for some fantastic imagery in this issue, sailing between them as waves crash into the chains and boat. On top of the world building in general, the character designs of all the different creatures are varied and interesting, bringing something different to a fantasy world where there are normally just elves, dwarves and orcs.
Ron Riley’s colors bring a brightness to the story as well. Riley helps to solidify the tone of “Elsewhere” with his poppy colors. The combination of Kesgin’s designs and Riley’s colors make the world of “Elsewhere” beautiful to look at. Even in the later half of the issue, when things take a turn for the worse, the art team is able to keep the book feeling light and fun. With much of the action in this issue taking place on a boat, the word swashbuckling is particularly apt.
Unfortunately, there are a few moments where the book tries to reach for something a little deeper. There is at least one moment that tries to create a heart to heart between two characters, a moment of bonding and companionship that just sort of falls flat. All the pieces should be there. Kesgin does good work on the facial expressions and body language of his characters, his over emphasized facial expressions convey emotion with ease, and in funny moments are some the reason many of the punchlines land. But there has been no build up, or build up that was severely lacking, to make us really care about these characters. It’s these moments, where the issue loses its forward momentum, that the cracks in “Elsewhere” are obvious.
When the series works, it is a light hearted, fun romp through a fantasy world with Amelia Earhart. The stakes never feel very high, but the book is able to make up for that with sheer fun. But when it tries to have moments that are a bit more moving, characterized by small interactions between characters, drawing attention to these character inner lives, it no longer works. When “Elsewhere” swings for something more than pulpy fantasy action, it almost draws attention to the fact that it is such a light, airy story. A fact that would not be a problem otherwise, except that these moments where it reaches for something else show that “Elsewhere” #6 is not content to be just a fun story.
After you finish “Elsewhere” #6 it starts to drift away. A bit like Amelia Earhart, once you fly through the book, it begins to disappear. As soon as you close the book, the details start to fade, and within twenty minutes, this chapter of the airy adventure might completely disappear from your mind, leaving only a small impression. When “Elsewhere” #6 is in full swashbuckling mode, this feels okay. It knows that it is just a bit of popcorn entertainment and is content with that. Yes, it lacks a bit of substance and some stakes, but there is a place in this world for stories that are just fun adventures. Unfortunately, “Elsewhere” #6 is not content to be one of these, to its own detriment.
Final Verdict: 6.0 – When it embraces what it is, “Elsewhere” #6 is a fun, if somewhat light adventure. But when it tries for genuine emotion, the story falls flat.
