Accent UK have already proven themselves to be a source of strong titles and as the second issue of their Kia Wordsmith recently hit Kickstarter, I took the chance to get caught up on what it was all about.
The titular Kia lives in a world where science & magic are intertwined and as everyone tries to tip-toe around the fact there’s a war going on to keep things as normal as possible, she escapes her daily studies when night comes. Her derring-do’s see her take in the sights of the city on the same rooftops she uses to find the adventure and danger she yearns for but an inquisitive nature brings with it some questionable decisions along the way.
With the mythical & the magical elements drifting into her daily & nightly life she soon finds herself on the radar of some of the city’s unscrupulous gangs but with the few bits of luck she has left she finds herself some useful allies too. The world she’s trying to navigate is really beginning to open up in every way you’d think and as the series powers through to the midway point there’s a definite steady momentum beginning to build in Kia’s push for a life of adventure.
Dave West’s script feels tight from the very beginning of that first issue and as he weaves elements of war, magic & rebellion into the mix he’s got that all playing out on the shoulder of a compelling female lead character. The thirst for adventure in Kia hits like a wave that sweeps you along and while it plays out across a backdrop of war, control & expectation there’s something instantly comforting about someone fighting against the system she finds herself caught up in.
Reading the foreword of the opening issue it’s clear that Dave has had this story in mind for a while but was trying to find just the right artist to make this a reality and with Ian Ashcroft it does feel like he’s found what he was after. The high level of detail he uses in those pages somehow manages to capture the weight of oppression and the weightlessness of leaping from roof to roof but all while keeping the story flowing through some of those pages with a bit more dialogue than others. With that in mind the lettering is key to maintaining that flow too and this held its own exceptionally well in keeping things moving. The only minor thing I would probably have changed is spreading out the use of full pages of imagery that were used across the opening six or so in issue two to bring it more in-sync with the opener but that’s a very minor quibble from me I think as the first half of this series got me hooked quickly…..and never let go.
It’s another strong title from Accent UK who have a habit of piecing together the right combo of writer & artist for each creation and while I’m late in catching up on this one, I’m so glad that I did.
You can get hold of these two issue on the current campaign link below:
You can also check out more of the Accent UK titles over on their website and keep up to date with what else they have in the works over on Twitter too.
8/10
G-Man
COMICS ANONYMOUS 