Solus #7

Posted: Monday, October 20, 2003
By: Olivia Woodward

Writer: Barbara Kesel
Artist: George Perez (p), Rick Magyar (i)

Company: CrossGen

Synopsis:
"Free your mind" may not be good advice when you've got vast reality shattering cosmic powers. On the world of Cardeen, Dr. Kellra Tuskin wields the vast powers granted to her as a sigil-bearer. With advance degrees in both divination and behavior modification, she's set up a nice business as a fortuneteller/psychologist. It's a cozy set-up, but when Solusandra arrives to reclaim the sigil, Dr. Tuskin is more than willing to give her an eye-opening experience.

Amidst the beads, lava lamps, and psychedelic décor of Dr. Tuskin's office, Solusandra has a "trip" like she's never had before. A "freak out" on the cosmic level, Solusandra can't handle the "opening of her inner eye." The probabilities of potential Being coalesce into a disharmonic convergence of manifest mayhem, and all the Flower Power in the world cannot stop it.

Critique:
"This is NOT turning out to be a nice day, Dr. Tuskin!" yells the unhappy smiley face.

I am not a fan of this title's thick "Sigil-verse" continuity premise. Too often, the writing seems to be directed at only the most dedicated of CrossGen readers, who've become familiar with every minutia of every "sigil" series. I've only been following this title because of an irresistible love for Perez's work. However, this issue was tightly written, light on continuity, full of vivid characterization, and absolutely hilarious!

In past issues, Solusandra and her trusty sidekick, Lindy, have visited numerous worlds in a Don Quixote/Sancho Panza-styled quest, collecting sigils and memories of Solusandra's past. This is an interesting premise, but it's always belly-flopped in implementation due to two problems. The first problem is the thickness of Sigil-verse continuity, which slows down the pacing of the story due to incoherency with the issues specific premise. The second problem is the weakness of character development in the secondary characters that our two protagonists encounter.

This issue has neither problem. The character of Dr. Tuskin and her world are wonderfully portrayed, with distinctive dialogue and style. The continuity issues are smoothly integrated as part of the plot, where Tuskin has initiated subliminal "mind freeing" into Solusandra's mind, which reveals painful memories from her distant past. This tight incorporation also works on the thematic level; emotions are integral to our being, yet one must not allow them to master one's reason.

As usual, the art is superb. The compositions are tight and flow with narrative ease, creating a steady visual pacing to the issue. The meticulous detail of Dr. Tuskin's office is delightful, from the heart-pattern flowerpots to the green bead curtains that adorn the walls. The inking and colors are also splendid here; especially impressive are the pure expressiveness of the psychedelic chaos scenes and the restrained and dark tones of the flashback scene.

Kudos also goes to Dave Lanphear's lettering, which also carries its fair share of dramatic weight.

Appraisal:
Kesel delivers on quality storytelling throughout, with an exciting plot, well-depicted characters, a fun setting, light-hearted mood, and a rich theme. If you've never read Solus before, or dropped it after one of the earlier issues, I recommend checking out this issue. It clearly displays the potential of this series in presenting a tight and fun story set in a quirky and amusing situation, while incorporating the continuity elements that defines the series.

If you're looking for a pleasurable comic, you'll enjoy this book.