WOTN Review: Folklords #1 (Boom! Box)

A Classic Reversal in Folklords #1

Folklords #1 is the start of a new miniseries from Boom! Box. This series is only meant to be five issues long, but in that short period of time, it’s going to subvert all of the classic tropes involving fairy tale quests.

Ansel lives in a magical world. But he has visions of another world – one completely unlike his own. But unlike the classical tales of a boy seeing another world, he dreams of a world full of suits and skyscrapers. This series is set to twist all expectations of fantasy worlds, magic, and the well-worn tale of a young man’s coming-of-age adventure in what will soon become a complete reversal of it all.

Folklords looks like it’ll be a fun and amusing series for anybody looking for something different and somewhat whimsical. The flip is so obvious, and yet not something that has ever been done before.

Writing

The world Matt Kindt has built in Folklords #1 is immediately familiar and yet very different from what we might expect. We can imagine this world as the setting for an epic quest. And yet – it’s the world that Ansel is trying to escape.

There was something oddly charming about the writing in this tale. Perhaps it’s because Ansel is yearning to prove the existence of a world full of technology. Or perhaps it’s because he’s fighting against the elders of his town. No matter the reason, there is something deeply resonating about this series.

For a series designed to be only five issues long, there was a delightful plot and subplot to be found within the first issue. This world has already come alive, and it’s clear that a lot is going on in Ansel’s world.

What was perhaps the most satisfying part of this tale was Ansel’s determination despite it all. And admittedly, the way he describes our world is oddly…charming. It’s a picturesque version, but that makes sense, given that he’s only been able to steal glances here and there.

Art

Folklords #1 is both bright and whimsical. Ansel is an oddly normal character. Well, normal by our standards. Less so by the people in his world. Dressing him up in a suit was a clever touch – an obvious throwback to the idea of a child wearing a cloak or something similar. It made Ansel stick out like a sore thumb – in all the right ways.

The artists behind this issue did an excellent job of showing the magic in Ansel’s world as a background element. After all, none of this is new or different to Ansel and thus doesn’t hold any importance to him. It was a fascinating perspective and one that they portrayed astonishingly well.

Matth Smith was the lead artist for this issue, with Chriss O’Halloran providing the colors and Jim Campbell doing the lettering. Together they brought this unique character and world to life.

Conclusion

Folklords #1 was an interesting start to what is sure to be a fascinating and memorable miniseries. It has proven fast-paced and witty, pushing Ansel’s story to a nearly comical extreme. It will truly be interesting to see where this series goes, given how many issues it has left.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.

Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat’s Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy