Newest Feature: Moley Rants #20 - So, We're Off Again...
Hello, and welcome to our very first episode of "Webcomics: Underrated". Here I'll comment on DeviantART-hosted webcomics, most of which do not receive all the attention they deserve. Some of them do, though, but they are still good – or bad – enough to deserve a mention anyway. Nonetheless, let's get it started!
So, for my first try on the wondrous world of web reviews, I've been reading an amusing series filled of the joy of friendship, teamwork, witty remarks and blood. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Mortality Girls
Mortality Girls starts with a pretty straight-forward storyline entitled "Meaghan Kills", in which, as you might have guessed, Meaghan kills people. It all happens in a movie theater, until the sheer number of corpses cause the wave of crime to be easily spotted, but it all solves itself at the end and no one gets hurt... except the ones that were stabbed and hammered to death, of course.
A few stories later, Meaghan and her two friendly partners in crime Tanya and Anisa, together with fellow ushers of the new movie theater they are employed after the old one was closed and nicknamed "The Multiplex of Death", see themselves once again involved in more murders and deaths and even a superplot of mystical powers that need them to do their job, whichever it is. As the story goes, more characters enter the story and some join the strange "sisterhood of killers". Meanwhile, in an alternate universe, September, a girl a bit too clever for her age, copes with some problems of the good old times, including a demonic child and Halloween mischief. All in good humour, of course. :)
I like the premise, it's simple and even outstanding. Having killers as protagonists might not be original – yes, I am looking at all of you, comic book anti-heroes! –, but when they're just normal people pushed beyond the edge or obeying voiced from beyond, things get a bit more interesting. In fact, considering that last part, I'm expecting some twist, like them all being hallucinating in psychosis... yeah, I guess that'd be very cool! :D
So, the story starts pretty light-hearted – or, I'd rather say, as light-hearted as a story about a serial killer can be –, and a few chapters later gives a turn to seriousness and plans of cosmical creatures from beyond. Yes, this is a warning, if you cannot take the Path of Cerebus, maybe you won't like this. The story still has to cross the line of seriousness, and the occasional random fits of humor, regular or dark, are still keeping it from jumping that damned shark.
Westbrook's art is efficient, i.e., simple yet effective. It's incredible how simply traced faces can convey expressions in such a sure way that the characters in Mortality Girls do. That, and Westbrook's capacity of drawing backgrounds and establishing shots are some of the comics most impressive treats.
But maybe his biggest fault is character depiction. Many characters – especially the main roster – look too much alike each other without cosmetic aids – hair style, clothes, make-up, distinctive accessories –, which is, of course, a consequence of such simplistic style of drawing. I understand it's just hard to put more details in such a limited style, and changing the style would just change the whole feeling of the comic.
And, just to end this on a fairly neutral tone, his digital enhancing skills are getting better. They really are, but that's something best seen than explained. Nice work there, Westbrook.
The comic is fair original, from what I can gather. A growing squad of girls destined to kill for the greater good, combined with all sorts of mystical beings that help them and... okay, this does sound like the premise for one too many webcomics, but here's what: the story is not boring, and, throwing aside the... I won't mention, since it'd be heavy spoiling, but let's just say that, weirdness apart, the story actually sounds real. Or, to use the technical term, it has enough verisimilitude.
But, specially, Westbrook's humor is... something better seen. It's sometimes plain funny, sometimes sexy, many times carrying amusing and slightly obscure references, and, as you'd expect from the premise, dark humor in many nuances.
First, the mythological mash-up. This sort of thing always end up looking a bit forced into the storyline, and while it's still managing to maintain itself consistent and not intruding, it's already borderlining the Deus Ex Machina. It's not that bad, but it can become, and there are few things sadder than a webcomic degenerated into a metaphorical myth salad with the main characters simply walking around, merely guided by the plot. Render unto Caesar, the last storyline is something completely different and devoid of such mannerisms altogether, what fills me with some hope. It seems closer to the "old stories", and that is good.
And exposition. Pages full of nothing but dialogue with no reason other than to expose. Looking back, it wasn't much frequent, but, just to point, "Disobedience" features a whole epilogue of exposition on the events of the story. Sure, it's from the point of view of another character, but pure exposition still. When possible, exposition should always be incorporated into storytelling, rather than detached from it, and Westbrook had succeeded before. Good sign, it means it's just a minor nuisance after all...
- Aubrey - she's imaginary, evil and, as odd as it sounds, cute. Among many supporting characters, the imaginary girlfriend of a character I don't even remember if he had a name or not got stuck in my mind, so much she is featured on the title image for this review. Go figure.
- The Bitch-Mary argument - I don't know, it's so random, so out of nowhere, so completely off-topic it just stands up. Also, I learned something... completely useless, but still interesting.
- Token Guy - Quite a funny piece of lampshade hanging... and also RAEP! :lol:
This is the first installment on this (hopefully) series of reviews. All being said, I'm not a professional reviewer and I'm not all that versed in storytelling and art theory. Maybe one of my biggest flaws as a reviewer(and judge) is that I recognize the subjectivity inherent to the human discourse. What that means? Well, let's give a pause here before starting on this.
Simply putting, reviews are not the gospel. Mine, then, shouldn't even be considered "official". I might say I'm just a honest reader doing a good service for all those people who come around to a name such as "Mortality Girls" and start wondering "eh, should I read this? What's it about? What's good in it?" My answer is laid, judge for yourself. If you like it, you're welcome. If not... patience.
But I'm also aware of my job as a critic, that is not just to bash or praise, but to try and help improve. As an avid webcomic(and standard comics, too) reader – and now a writer, too –, I'll try my best. But since my words are not laid in stone, to follow my humble advice is your choice only. That is, if I made myself clear enough when needed.
All in all, I might have nitpicked on stuff that doesn't matter, or not nitpicked on stuff that deserve. Practice makes perfection, and everyone starts from somewhere, so please bear with me...
And, here: take this grain of salt. This review will go much better with it.
