The air gets cool, the leaves fall off the trees, and the ghosts go wailing in the night. Halloween may have passed but that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate the season where things feels in transition between the warmth and the cold, where shadows grow long and days grow short. Joining our returning look at “Dr. Frost” we have “What the Hex?!” and “The Eagle and the Snake.” It’s sure to be a scream.
All this, and no more belabored spooky puns, in this issue of The Webcomics Weekly.
Dr. Frost
‘Those Who Are Not Yet Alive’ (1) – (6)
Updates: Saturdays
By Jongbeom Lee
Reviewed by Elias Rosner
At the end of ‘The Illness that Lies’, Frost was left asking for help with his hallucinations from the head doctor. He has learned to not see him as an adversarial force, nor as a peer, but as the person who he used to believe he was. I say “believe” because, as Dr. Fater notes, Frost’s actions as a counsellor were reckless and wildly unprofessional. I made mention of this way back in the first arc, noting both the ways the narrative challenged and reinforced Frost’s actions, while giving it a greater allowance for drama since, well, this is a drama series. Seeing the narrative itself acknowledge the unusual nature of these actions in terms of its unorthodox effectiveness and cleverness as well as the ethical nightmares created by the breaches of boundaries is a step I never expected but am glad to see taken.
It puts into relief just how theoretical Frost’s approach to psychological counselling was for a long time, even as he took on more patients, and how a good theory doesn’t always apply cleanly. I suspect this idea will come back into play with Moon when he rears his head again.
As for the case this time around, things are focused on Yeonshik, a teenager placed into the protective ward for treatment of his severe PTSD. Much like the previous case, Yeonshik is used as a parallel for Frost and as an external actor upon him. The central mystery of the case may be why Yeonshik blames himself for his best friend’s death but what is more important to the narrative is how he and Frost will help each other. I sense a new friendship brewing and if the juice roommate kid’s offering at the end of part 6 is any indication, Frost may have more friends than he realizes.
The Eagle and the Snake
Episodes 1-3
Schedule: Mondays
By Angel Tovar
Reviewed by Michael Mazzacane
“The Eagle and The Snake” doesn’t look like most comics on Webtoon. Angel Tovar’s crime-heist series is set in contemporary, if fictionalized, California focusing on a Latinx protagonist who finds himself pulling bank heists in order to pay off a family debt. Other than the Little Corvus drawn “American Road Trip” I can’t think of another major series centering on these characters or their creators being spotlighted on Webtoon in this way in the past several years. The genre element is also unique for Webtoon, who as a publisher is primarily associated romance and action fantasy series. Tovar’s art and strip construction also looks plainly different with their muted color palette and a heavy investment in shades of grey in the early strips. Their more representational figure work pushes the strip firmly into a realist realm even if it still has the stylistic excesses of manga and fight comics when it comes to some action sequences. It feels like the kind of series TopCow would publish.
All of this novelty covers up a fairly standard criminal with a heart of gold story as series lead and point of view character Abel is quickly confirmed to be the anti-Neil McCauley. Tovar may lay it on a little thick for my tastes about the inherent goodness of Able, but it fits the overall speed the series is moving at as the jobs keep coming quicker and quicker.
Tovar shows a good understanding of environmental and spatial continuity for the brief heists in the early going. While these sequences aren’t fully procedural in their dense point by point maneuvering, readers get enough of a taste for when the one last job inevitably comes it will be a tense affair, and maybe resemble Heat just a little bit.
Continued belowIf you’re looking for something different to read on Webtoon “The Eagle and The Snake” is one of the most different series the publisher has highlighted in a long time. Even if you aren’t a fan of the crime genre the aesthetic differences and craft make it an engaging read.
What the Hex!?
Episodes 1-16
Updates Every Other Sunday
By Storybard
Reviewed by Mel Lake
By the time you read this review, it won’t be the spooky season anymore but Halloween is a state of mind, even if all the stores have moved on to Christmas already. It’s always Halloween in my heart, which is why I’ve picked a vampire-meets-witch comic for this week. “What the Hex!?” is a Webtoon Canvas series that looks a bit like someone gave a Bratz Dolls makeover to Edward Cullen at his most glittery. (That is most definitely a compliment, by the way! The thing I enjoy most about this series is the colorful outfits and sparkly magic. It’s a lot of fun.)
In a world where witches, vampires, werewolves, and all sorts of other magical creatures (including mermaids, Pegasus, and maybe the Kraken, apparently?) coexist, Andre the vampire tries to prey on Kari, only to find out that Kari was trying to use magic to rob him. Both are wanted by various authorities and in a moment of magic-gone-wrong, Kari binds Andre to her as a familiar, forcing him to do her bidding. In the opening pages of the comic, we find out some backstory about Andre, mainly that he’s a wannabe rebel who lost his coven of vampires and wants it back. Apparently, vampires aren’t supposed to actually kill people in this world, but Andre can’t stop. The binding spell is a perfectly serviceable device to get our runaways to, well, run away while magically handcuffed together. Like the whole misfits-on-the-run thing, being magically bound to someone you don’t like is a trope I rarely get tired of and Storybard does a great job of keeping the action and the dialogue quick. The characters rarely stop doing and interacting, which keeps readers interested and wanting to turn the page.
Other than employing some of the best tropes in the book of tropes (bank heist, anyone?), Storybard puts Kari in some of the best outfits and wigs. She’s a flamboyant character who changes her look on a whim and when I made the Bratz doll comparison earlier, I honestly meant it as a compliment. Even though this isn’t usually my favorite style of art, it works perfectly on both Kari and Andre, since both are dramatic, over-the-top, silly characters. It gives them life and style, and if it’s not perfectly consistent, it really doesn’t matter that much. I do find it a little jarring when the characters get too cartoon-y, and similarly when they swear. The tone shifts a little too much, like the comic hasn’t quite figured out how serious it wants to be. Striking that balance is tough, especially when just starting a new story, and this one struggles when it’s not in full-on glitter mode.
“What the Hex!?” is a fun, easy, entertaining read. I was amused by the character’s banter and loved the outfits. Perfect for a post-Halloween treat!
