Rob reviews London Gothic Chapter 1...
London Gothic is the debut graphic novel from writer Nick Henry. Across this opening issue, Henry takes us on a supernatural journey across a London landscape that's very different from our own.
On the surface, the story of London Gothic is pretty straightforward. Over the centuries two rival factions have been battling a secret war. On one side is the Brotherhood of Sinistre and its leader Lord Finnius Cromwell. With world domination being the Sinistre's main goal, they'll need to obtain certain relics to unleash demon-kind onto the unsuspecting populous. Standing in their way is The Tuttori. As humanity's shield against this evil, the Tuttori have protected the world since the times of Christ. Now, their last known member; The Duke - with the aid of his faithful companion Jellico - is all that stands in the way of Finnius Cromwell and his goons.
As stories go, London Gothic is a pretty decent debut. Not content with a simple 30-page single issue, Henry throws himself (and us) in at the deep end with a whopping 92-page opening act. This bumper page count not only allows us to be given proper introductions to the cast, but it also allows for a great deal of character work too. While the bulk of the narrative deals with the Tottori and Sinistre, there's also a third character who comes in the form of Detective Inspector Bailey. However, he's soon caught up in the wider goings on as a spate of missing children is attributed to the Sinistre. And he also happens to have a spectacular run-in with The Duke.
Whether we're following Bailey, The Duke, or Cromwell, Henry allows his cast to tell their story. Across the whole novel, any exposition or character work is done by the cast themselves. There are no wall-breaking narration boxes, or even thought bubbles. What we get is organic feeling dialogue as the characters explain any exposition through their dialogue. It's quite a unique way of storytelling, and it serves the story of London Gothic incredibly well without sacrificing its pacing.
Bringing Nick Henry's stellar script to life is artist Michael Burton. For an indie comic, the art presentation is a perfect rival to anything seen within the "big two". Even though he's dealing with flesh-tearing demons and other nasties, Burton manages to keep his locations grounded with a realistic feeling. The scenes within London brim with that dank, cold feeling that's synonymous with the Victorian era. There's a lot of shadow work that gives the streets of London a very ominous feeling - and this is before Burton fills them with the monsters!
Creating a sense of fear is what drives the story behind London Gothic, and thankfully its nasties play their part well. The unforgettable of these is the incarnation of Mr Punch who will no doubt haunt many readers' nightmares for a few years. I don't have a phobia of clowns but Burton draws this particular menace with a sense of realism that made me want to turn the page. Remember the old days when Doctor Who had kids hiding behind the sofa?
Other characters are also presented well with each ever so slightly touching into the clichés that define their role. Thankfully Henry and Burton add plenty of character work to them which helps to break from the established mold.
Away from the darkness and London, Gothic is quite a bright comic. When we're outside in the shadows, the lighting works well. The glow of candlelight through the windows sets the tone well and helps to define the characters who are caught up in it. Yet on the odd occasion, there seems to be too much light, which then gives everything an unnatural feeling. While this doesn't detract from either the narrative OR the rest of the incredible art - it's just a small niggle.
From its opening page to its last, London Gothic is a story that's well worth investing your time in. It offers 92-pages of blistering action, well-crafted characters, and plenty of gorgeous art. Delve a little deeper and you have the start of something beautiful. Nick Henry and Michael Burton bring us a tale of good vs evil, where the lines could certainly soon be blurred.
Rating: 9/10
London Gothic is available now and can be purchased by clicking here.
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