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Imagine living with an idea churning about in your mind for years. You imagine scenes, phrases, panel layouts, plot points, the list goes on.
Now imagine not having the ability or skills to get those ideas down on paper. How frustrating would that be? Very frustrating. And this writer can attest to that statement!
Basically, you have two choices when faced with this problem: 1) Hook up with someone who knows how to do it, and is willing to do it. 2) Learn the craft yourself.
Learning the craft herself is exactly what Cassandra Reyes decided to do a few years ago. After many years of practicing, learning, reading, and watching others, Cassandra decided to strike out on her own and publish her very first comic. She literally started from nothing, other than an interest in drawing and story telling.
Now, Cassandra is owner and operator of Velvet Nightmare Studios - the company which produced Jackket Knightmare, the comic I will be reviewing today.
Jackket Knightmare is the story of Tom. A man who was physically abused by his father as a child until the age of eight when he was adopted by a pastor. Years later, Tom must deal with the sudden loss of his adopted father, while trying to convince a skeptical Church committee to allow him to take the reigns as pastor over his father's church.
Meanwhile, a vigilante calling himself Jackket Knightmare appears on the scene, who is bent on protecting children from abusive adults. Though his true identity and origin are unknown, his ties with Tom may destroy everything Tom has worked so hard for.
Story:
Jackket Knightmare
Artwork:
It was refreshing to read a comic done only in ink. Although colors can bring out so much emotion, I think Cassandra does very well in that department using other tricks of the trade.
I feel there is a bit of an overuse of extreme closeups. I understand the usage, and why they are important, however after a bit, I found myself wanting to see more of the scene. If you like extreme closeup panels, with various facial expressions, etc. you need to pick this comic up.
Cassandra is still learning her craft, and after only three years of drawing, I think she's doing a great job. A lot of work goes in to planning shots, and designing scenes.
Plot:
The first comic doesn't really give you a chance to analyze plot. I know the concept and think it's a great one. Alas, that's the downside to comics - you only get a little plot at a time.
My favorite scene is at the very first of the story, Jackket is making his way down the hall, and...oh...oh...you'll have to read it to see what I'm talking about...;-)
Characters:
I'm really looking forward to the development of the Jackket character. He seems so calm and has a "this-is-my-job-and-I-accept-it" sort of attitude. I'd compare him to John Constantine. He just...goes about his business.
We don't see a whole lot of Tom, but I'm also looking forward to see how his character develops. He seems to have a bit of a self-esteem problem, which is understandable, seeing as he was given up for adoption at a young age.
Story:
I got lost in a couple of places. Upon talking to Cassandra, it basically came down to "writer assumption". This can happen to anybody, especially starting out. Basically, the writer has an idea in his/her head and only puts half of it on the paper, assuming the audience can figure out the rest. I've seen it many times, and the cool thing is, you have the ability to talk with this author to get the other half of the scene, which helps a lot.
Other than that minor detail, I think Cassandra has something special here. I hope she sees it out to completion.
Overall:
With a little practice and experience, I'm sure this story will blossom into a great series. I'm looking forward to reading the next issue. Keep up the good work, Cassandra!
Visit Velvet Comic Studios here. You will also find a link to purchase this comic on that site.
Jackket Knightmare
Jackket Knightmare is Cassandra Reyes' bold first attempt at comic book publishing. She has a great concept, and interesting characters. It will only get better from here. Click the image to the right to view the first three pages of the comic (461KB). You will require Adobe Acrobat.
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