EmmaMaree.com YA Writer, Tech Support Girl & Tea Addict

“We3″ Comic Review

I'd seen the work of Scottish artist Vincent Deighan, penname Frank Quitely, before in the Sandman comic "Endless Nights", and I'd enjoyed legendary comic writer Grant Morrison's work in "Arkham Asylum".

So when I heard about their miniseries "We3", a short story about three 'animal weapons' that escape captivity, I went straight out and bought it. Robot animals!

If you're an animal lover, We3 is heartbreakingly powerful. It's also gorgeous - hyper-violent and bloody, yes, but the art is colourful and the detail in the mech (robot) designs is amazing. It's often described as a 'Western Manga' style, but any influence is slight - the art is still recognisable as comic-styled and the realism of the animals really helps to carry the story.

The panel layouts are fantastic - an opening scene is told through rows of tiny squares representing CCTV stills, panels twist and bend to fit the motion of the action, and huge graphic scenes are overlaid with smaller panels showing the details of the fight.

The 3 animal main characters - a rabbit, cat and dog all modified to become powerful animal weapons - speak very little, but still manage to be sympathetic and realistic characters. They act like you would expect your pets to act, searching for shelter and safety, which makes the moments when they're forced to fight or injured in battle all the more difficult to see.

Experimental panel layout adds motion to the fight scenes

It's a short read - almost too short, as I'd have loved a little more time with the characters - but it definitely makes good use of every available page.

Overall
A perfect example of standalone comic storytelling, with stunning art, solid writing and a fresh sense of experimentation with panel layout.