Evil and good intentions
Creative Staff:
Story: Justin Jordan
Art: Eleonora Carlini
Colors: Silvia Tidei
Letterer: Marshall Dillon
What They Say:
Anna and Coyote have escaped from the Morning Wolf only to be captured by someone more dangerous. If they’re going to find Sylvia, they’re going to need to learn to control a power they barely understand.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Anyone reading my earlier reviews of Backways will note how I have consistently felt that the art and the writing were slightly out of sync. While the writing has been strong, the series has been bogged down in delivering story without offering much context for the overall plot. The artwork has been exciting and dynamic but the tone of the writing and art never felt balanced. This issue takes care of those concerns, providing readers both story and art working at the same speed, producing a title that kicks butt and takes names.
Since the debut issue, readers have been wondering what is the basic plot of the series. Anna has appeared in the magical realm of the Backways, and she has been on the run for an unknown reason. She has met several characters and faced incredible baddies, but the only backstory has been her purpose to find a lost friend. When information has been revealed, it never fully explained the context of her predicament, and this is more glaring with the single-minded purpose of Anna in facing her opponents without any real fear. In other words, it is like being in a nightmare without feeling any terror.
Readers are given enough context in this issue to identify with the action. Anna may or may not be the key to unleashing a being that can destroy both the Backways and the real world. Suddenly, characters have motivations that explain their actions, and the book delivers on conveying a real sense of urgency and an impending threat. Temper this with the fluid and expressive artwork, and the series finds its foothold.
In Summary:
Readers who enjoy YA adventures should consider Backways. Conceptually, the series has tried to create a world similar to the magical realms of the Harry Potter universe without the overtly magical staging. This allows the reader to fill in the remaining space with her or his imagination.
Backways issue 4 cements the series in character motivations that explain the action and imparts a sense of danger. The artwork has been, and is still, consistently engaging from epic action to humorous facial expressions. This issue continues that trend and complements the art with organic dialog that showcase the characters’ personalities. Magic and mythic characters populate the Backways, and now the story seems to be gaining momentum to match the world and its characters.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 9+
Released By: AfterShock Comics
Release Date: April 4th, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
