The Lucent: Waking Dream and Painted Death | R.J. Reviews
Michael Bancroft is at it again!
Gilgamesh. Ancient mythology. Milton. Shakespeare. Inception. Even Dr. Strange. How epic can you get?
Michael Bancroft is a relentless graphic genius. He writes. He draws. He has an Australian accent. How are we supposed to compete?
Bancroft is one of the few indie comic creators to achieve his level of fame without having worked for DC or Marvel at some point in the past. He got his start on Webtoon, and now he crowdfunds. Many tune into his livestreams. He seems to enjoy interacting with the chat, and he shows an eagerness to support fellow indie creators.
Recently, Bancroft released book two of The Lucent series. I could not miss this party any longer. So, I paid the cover charge and now I’m buzzed.
When I picked up this book, I thought I was going to get another supernatural comic book like so many others. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy those. But this was different. There are so many aspects of this book to rate. It is truly unique. Fortunately, I have a system for reviewing comic books. My system has four categories: Visuals, dialogue, action, and story. So, without further ado, here is my review of the first two books of The Lucent: Waking Dream and Painted Death.
Visuals:
The art is drawn in a realistic style.
I found that served the story in an unexpected way. As this story unfolds, we see more extraordinary events taking place. While things get weirder, the art style keeps us grounded. Furthermore, the visuals have a cinematic quality, which only adds to the fun. Panels in these books are laid out in a sequential manner that make following the action both easy and appealing. I did not feel like I was working to figure out these panels. Rather, I felt like I was watching a movie where the most interesting frames were on pause.
Dialogue:
It is obvious that Bancroft does his research. I often harp on how writers tend to forget that each character needs a unique voice. Providing those voices is often an arduous task. Hours spent sitting in public places and listening to people. Noting the nuances of how a person’s life experience influences their word choices. Well, Bancroft gets it right. The story spans multiple eras and at times involves a group of people interacting. In each setting, every character is not only believable, but engrossing. I cannot express enough how much I appreciate that while reading dialogue, I was pulled into the story rather than pushed out.
Action:
Ever wonder what it would be like if see the dream sequences of Inception mixed with the villains of Dr. Strange? That pretty much sums up the action, except for one major caveat: It’s believable!
As I mentioned in my last review, I have a background in boxing and wrestling. I am also a fan of combat sports. Too often, I am disappointed by comic book and movie fight choreography. Yet, even in Bancroft’s extraordinary universe of The Lucent, I found the fight scenes believable.
Even when a character breaks the laws of physics using magic, they use a realistic takedown against their opponent. One sequence actually utilized a realistic aikido joint lock.
Even movies mess up this move because of the complex body mechanics involved. For example, if someone tried to control my entire body simply by grabbing my wrist, I would likely rotate into my opponent and use my other arm to either strike or grapple. Leverage has to be applied to both sides of the body, and that requires a deeper understanding of body mechanics than most artists have. Well, count this as yet another common pitfall that Bancroft avoids.
Story:
If you have not gathered this by now, The Lucent is fun. As I said, there is a cinematic quality. There is plenty of mystery. There is a chase. The pacing is perfect. Even with the high page count, I did not feel bogged down. Two books in, I feel like I know just the perfect amount of information. I enjoyed watching events unfold and I want to know more.
So, if I wasn’t being plain enough, go check out The Lucent, otherwise your are missing out!