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Posted May 23, 2014 by Yuri Mangahas in Comics
 
 

COMIC BOOK REVIEW: “The Last Broadcast #1″ – Of Magic, Mystery, And Eastern-esque Art

Writer: André Sirangelo
Artist: Gabriel Iumazark
Publisher: Boom/Archaia Entertainment

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first saw the preview for The Last Broadcast. I was met with mixed feelings upon seeing its first few pages, as if I’m not bound to catch something interesting with the story. I am a sucker for all things related with the occult, fantasy, and magic, but strangely, the initial layouts did not catch my attention head on.

Fortunately for me, I was proved wrong upon reading its entirety. It’s not just any ordinary comic book. It is a glimpse at THE future of comic books.

The story is a divergence of events from both the past and the present, structuring it in a manner of inducing vagueness and mystery to the plot. It opens with a young magician named Ivan, who has no recollection of the events that has lead him to his present injury. It then propels us to a series of flashbacks eight weeks from the opener, building further the mystery surrounding his predicament.

Just like with Arrow, interpersing elements of past and present truly works like a charm, in a way that it heightens up the reader’s curiosity as to how and what lead Ivan to his state, and to where the plot truly revolves. The pacing is also inclined to the said structure, providing us diverging POVs that seem to have no relation with each other, but you’ll eventually realize their connection as you stride along the pages.

TLB’s another key factor is its art. The option to use an anime-style render fits well with the book, whilst mixing it with surreal and abstract-ish pencils to increase the dread and mystery. It actually reminded me of Soul Eater’s manga artstyle – something we do not usually see in comics. It is also character driven, as it spends time providing us tidbits about our leads, and their motivations in their daily lives. In turn, it makes us interested with them, causing us to want for more.

Yes, you don’t look like a magician.

Wrapping up, The Last Broadcast is definitely a nice series to watch out for. Its unique art and approach to the occult makes it stand out to other books. Like I said, we are looking at THE future of comic books, and it is here NOW.

9 Broadcasts Out of 10


Yuri Mangahas

 
Yuri is magnanimously juggling between two managerial jobs: A technical manager position for an advertising/copy-writing company, and an associate editorial position for a fashion and lifestyle magazine. Nevertheless, he still finds time taking photos and seeking for geek nirvana.