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The Webcomics Weekly #41: Duties of Call Ghosts (6/25/19 Edition)

By | June 25th, 2019
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

Welcome back, one and all, to The Webcomics Weekly! For those keen eyed readers, you may notice that “Order of the Stick” is here twice in two weeks. This is not a mistake, dear readers, merely a passing of the torch. So we say a fond farewell to Robbie’s time here as a column regular. But, as always, there are comics to review and we mustn’t waste time! “Buuza!!” and “The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn” await as well, so come and partake, dear readers. And may you have a merry time.

Buuza!! Tapas
Ch. 1-10 (New Year’s Eve 1997 – New Year’s Day 1998)
Schedule: Monday-Thursday
By Shazleen Khan
Reviewed by Michael Mazzacane

“Buuza!!” has a lot going for it. Excellent art by Shazleen Khan on top of a solid serial structure that always manages to end with some kind of dramatic or humorous beat. A setting you don’t really see that much of, urban fantasy set in the Middle East. It’s a period piece, although the idea that the 1990s now counts as a “period piece” is slightly depressing. The choice of the late 90s setting is actually rather smart as it creates an understandable reality, people have cell phones, that helps highlight the fantasy elements, there are cat and bird people amongst the non-magical ones.

All of this is leading up to a “but.”

“Buuza!!” is a well composed comic with plenty of ideas and just enough friction that makes reading it irksome. The friction comes in the form over overly large gutter space between panels, at least on Line. Having scanned through the series on Tapas the gutter space seems to be less of an issue, which is odd since both distributors using the same infinite vertical scroll. On Line, however, it just a hair too big and has a habit of isolating panels and results in strips or sequences with a choppy flow. As two of the lead characters chase after one another the gutter space interferes with the sense of spatial awareness that makes a chase sequence energetic. The choice of content within the panels is a contributing factor in that instance, but the gutter space actively disrupts and discombobulates the reader.

The choppy waters is a bummer because Khan shows some real craft in other spots in terms of using the vertical scroll. As one of our lead characters, Zach, looks for charity donations outside of a restaurant Khan constructs the sequence in two sets of three panels descending at an angle. It’s a nice little touch that adds a bit of energy to a sequence that would normally be 2×3 grid on a page. The way strips often start with landscape view of the city and other little tricks help to make the strip an enjoyable read.

The work Shazleen Khan puts into the panel art is beautiful. The coloring is mostly in flats but when mixed with the varied line art gives it a painterly quality. Stylistically it isn’t too far off from the work of “Moth & Whisper” artist Jen Hickman. Their ability to create engaging and emotive facial designs helps put this artistically above the myriad slice of life strips out there. This is a slice of life strip so don’t expect a mile a minute plot. The start of this strip moves at a day in the life pace, which helps naturalize the fantasy elements. That day in the life pacing helps establish the city space everyone is moving through and build up the idea of this as an ensemble series. It does take a fair bit for the various threads Khan is dangling out there to come together.

Shazleen Khan’s art and overall structure make “Buuza!!” an enjoyable read, with some moments of friction along the way.

Order of the Stick
Pages 121-125
Updates: Varies
By Rich Burlew
Reviewed by Gustavo S. Lodi

First things first: this is not Robbie, but rather Gustavo, thankfully appreciating the kindness that our previous reviewer bestowed when extending this recurring column to me. I hope I do it a d20 justice!

“Order of the Stick” is a self-referential series of strips on the world of RPG, game parties, and the typical medieval tropes. It is also a fertile ground for any number of social commentary, humour, and satire, with a knack for sharp dialogue and compelling characters, despite their minimalistic art style.

Continued below

This time around, given the ending of the previous arc and the Xykon confrontation, the party reaches a small village and start to replenish on supplies and enjoy some much deserved rest… and XP leveling up! Before that, the audience is greeted by a very funny faux letter page, playing with the notion of characters breaking the fourth wall, and yet not feeling empowered by that ability.

As in the past, the interactions between the team members is the trump card for this series. The same way that the design style maintains the singular stick figurine throughout, dialogue is contained, focused and snappy, which often leads to laugh out loud moments. This time around, the asymmetrical manner where characters level up, the misunderstood dialogue among two of the female leads, both lead to some really intelligent commentary and insight.

All in all, “Order of the Stick” continues to feel like a sandbox for any number of situations RPG fans have grown to love but, and even better, it does more than that, and allows itself to comment on anything it feels peculiar. Incredibly fresh.

The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn
Chapters 81-85
Updates: Completed/On Hiatus
By Tri Vuong
Colored by Irma Kniivila
Reviewed by Elias Rosner

VUONG! WHY DO YOU MAKE ME CRY SO?!

Doubling down on the horror and sadness, chapters 81-85 are not the most narratively satisfying, as much of the present day action revolves around information we already knew and, having already reached the start of the “climax” thanks to the risen dead, the end feels near despite it being quite far away. However, none of that matters much as ‘The Ghost of Witch Lake’ was always about the characters in this small town and the ways in which they interact with each other, which is chiefly what these chapters are concerned with.

I say this every time but ‘Witch Lake’ is such a strong story that it’s hard to talk about each set of chapters, mainly because I cannot help comparing to the ways in which Vuong handled the story this time around. More engaging, more focused, paced more deliberately and, while it does drag a little, the slower pace is purposeful in order to build the tension that’s taking the fore in Act 3. Between Kenny’s desperation, the possession of the Sheriff, and the wild card that is Doctor Corpus, it’s all coming to a head as hope fades and confusion reigns.

Kniivila’s colors bolster these moments, with the campfire scene in particular being a stand out moment of contrast between the orange warmth of the fire reflecting off of Maddy’s face, and the blacks of the forest and the blues of Sebastian. Vuong’s facial work there is stellar, too. It’s only two or so panels but they’re so gorgeous.

The strongest moments, though, are the quiet ones, and the ones that will make you weep incessantly. These are concentrated most in chapters 81 & 85, and while the middle three are strong, with the horror aspects taking precedence, without the bookends, they would not be nearly as powerful. Take the line spoken by “David,” in response to being asked if he is, in fact, David, right before the closing of the chapter and understand why, in conjunction with the moody silent final three panels, I was a sobbing mess each time: “No. I am the dead. Leave me before I forget the illusion of my life and hunger for light of yours.”


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