“A New Leaf”
Writer: Tania Del Rio
Artists: Tania Del Rio (p), Jim Amash (i), Jason Jensen (colors)
Publisher: Archie Comics
Not only has Sabrina told her mortal boyfriend about her life as a witch, she’s now enlisted Harvey in the Four Blades’ plot to overthrow the Queen of the Magic Realm by having him help her retrieve a leaf from the dying magical mana tree.
Harvey’s involvement in the affairs of the Magic Realm is sure to cause problems, probably sooner rather than later, but the big issue in “A New Leaf” is whether or not Sabrina can get him to commit to their relationship in defiance of his mother. Meanwhile, another complication arises concerning Shinji’s new girlfriend Hemlock.
Tania Del Rio continues to play with Sabrina’s status quo in fascinating ways. If you had told me when Del Rio took over the book that Sabrina would someday be dealing with magical intrigue and that Harvey would know her secret, I’d have said you were crazy. I’m not sure anyone expected her to do much more than make the book a manga-look romance, but she’s done that and so much more. Sabrina’s powers continue to grow, her relationships are developing depth, and the Four Blades’ plot is taking on a new urgency. As you can never quite be sure where Del Rio is taking the story, every new issue is an adventure.
Speaking of those increasing powers, they’re the only flaw in the story. Sabrina has grown so powerful – even if she doesn’t realize it – that she’s never in any kind of danger. There’s simply no suspense when she’s threatened by a magical menace. While the opening pages involve a magical mishap, it’s a joke set-up rather than a real problem. It’s cute, but it’s too easy. And too easy is fatal to a shojo manga.
That said, “A New Leaf” is an excellent issue. The real surprise is Harvey, whose common sense and practical support make a great foil to Sabrina’s overeager enthusiasm. The boy has really developed a personality the last few issues, Del Rio having fleshed him out to the point that he’s an individual character rather than merely an extension of Sabrina or a convenient plot complication.
A pair of silent scenes emphasize just how much their relationship has grown. The first is a montage page of Sabrina and Harvey going through a series of caves. The tilted, jagged panels set-up the rugged environment, while the action inside the panels show a couple committed to helping one another and working together. In the second scene, after they’ve reached the tree, Del Rio uses a series of narrow slanted panels to suggest climbing, but the material inside the frames is the same – two people committed to helping each other reach their goal. Harvey, who as recently as last issue, was reluctant to have Sabrina touch or hold his hand, is easily holding on to her now, unstintingly offering his support. Writers sometimes get caught between using too many words and not enough. Here though, Del Rio strikes the right balance.
“A New Leaf” is actually more of the same old, same old for regular readers of this title: a well-told story, beautiful art and colors, and characters you can care about. Here’s hoping the Sabrina team stays in this rut for a good long time to come.
What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!