The Stuff of Legend #1 Review

The Stuff of Legend
Th3rd World Studios

Volume 1: The Dark, Book 1

Story by: Mike Raicht and Brian Smith
Illustrated by: Charles Paul Wilson III
Design and Color by: John Conkling and Michael DeVito

I first heard about this book on Free Comic Book Day, but missed out on picking up the preview. I nearly forgot about it until Marvel editor C.B. Cebulski, tweeted a recommendation for it earlier this week. At five dollars it is not for the faint of pocketbook, but that is truly one of the only things I have against this book.

Set during World War II the story finds a young boy kidnapped by the boogeyman and taken into a place known only as the Dark. A set of his toys and his dog march out into this foreboding void to rescue him.

This is where things really begin to develop. In the our world the teddy bear is afraid and unable to protect the boy, but in the dark he transforms into an unstoppable animal tearing and devouring the boogeyman’s armies. Each of the toys becomes more real in someway, the Jester (a jack-in-the-box) turns into a creepy, blood-thirsty warrior, while the piggy bank is just as afraid in the real world as he is the dark. It’s here in the dark that the characters truly gain some strong emotional resonance and where you learn that no one is safe.

The art is also worth noting. Wilson’s art has a magical quality that naturally reinforces the beauty of the simple narrative. The boogeyman is a standout character, who feels both frightening and seductive at the same time. He also does a nice job conveying feelings even as the characters do not speak. The initial battle sequences are difficult to figure out a first, but only because you don’t count on there being so many characters. It doesn’t take long though to catch up and enjoy the blood soaked images.

For the most part this book is color free, but it does feature what I would call subtle earth toned colors that give it an older feel in keeping with the 1940s time period in which it is set.

This book most reminds me of Fables, with its storybook-like characters and mystical worlds that normal people can’t see. Despite this slight comparison the book remains unique and worth your time, but I understand if the price turns some people off. As the book ends, questions still linger. Its cliffhanger also left me happily surprised and I already can’t wait for the next issue to come out in September.

A-