Rob takes an advanced look at Once Upon A Time In Xanatopia #1...
Once Upon A Time In Xanatopia tells the story of Nora; a magic-wielding cyborg who happens to fight monsters. While this description does point toward a fusion between sci-fi and fantasy, Once Upon A Time In Xanatopia differs by featuring a setting that's mostly on par with a world much like our own.
As the narrative goes, this opening issue sets off pretty slow. Writer DC Horn utilises the slow pacing to introduce us to Nora and her world over a seemingly normal family breakfast. It's here where we meet Nora's squire; Cherry as well as his wife and adopted daughter. Everything seems fairly normal as Horn takes us through a seemingly everyday occurrence for the characters. The first glimpse we see that something is different (aside from Nora's cybernetics) is when Cherry starts narrating a previous adventure that the duo had been on. Things then take a more fantasy turn as Cherry entertains the youngster by creating a rabbit from the fire within the palm of his hand. Whilst this spectacle entertains his daughter, it's a reminder from his wife that his gifts shouldn't be used at the breakfast table.
We then jump back into the sci-fi as Nora and Chery head off on their next mission. Taking place within the mysterious "Generator Fields", the duo are after a creature that has taken residence around the fields numerous lightning rods. Yet with the creature nowhere to be seen, Nora and Cherry are in for a nasty surprise...
The pacing throughout is deceptively slow, which helps Horn build his characters and their world. Through a simple interaction, Horn not only develops the dynamic around his core cast - but also hints toward future plotlines too. There's certainly a lot of plot to build on as we see hints of Cherry's home life, as well as the reasons that lead to Nora and himself going their separate ways.
World-building is also spot on and the fusion between sci-fi and fantasy feels somewhat grounded within the liberal use of a real-world setting. We get an eclectic mixture of cybernetics, magic, monsters, and artificial storms, combined with simple things such as cell phones, rural housing, and taxis. It's certainly a strange mixture, but within this setting, it works incredibly well.
Moving on and art work comes from Miriam Nassereddine, with extra artwork by Roberta Rodrigues M DE C. Without knowing it's difficult to tell which artist did what, however, we get 21-pages filled with a beautiful soft black & white style that gives everything an intimate feeling. Much like Horn's narrative, Nassereddine and Rodrigues create their world well. There's sparse use of colour which works to highlight the futuristic elements, such as the red glow to Nora's cybernetics and a blue tint to Cherry's armour. Character expressions also feel unique which helps build that all-important dynamic between the cast.
While the whole three-part series has already been released via the XanCon store, for those like myself who've not experienced this world, it's still a world worth jumping into. The creative team have crafted a superb story, within a vibrant world. While this opening issue doesn't quite move out of first gear, Horn delivers plenty of character-driven moments and world-building that lays the foundations for what's to come.
Once Upon A Time In Xanatopia is heading to Kickstarter on 18/4/22. Make sure to sign up here to be notified when the campaign launches.
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