Webcomic Spotlight: XII: Of Magic and Muses

XII: Of Magic and Muses

Creator: Kristen Kiomall-Evans
Host: Spiderforest Webcomic Collective

A review by Andrew Dmytrasz

Most students stuck in a strict, dull school often dream of being able to escape to some sort of adventure or far away land. That is not the case for Willow and Emma who are just trying to pass their tests and endure their mundane school of XII: Of Magic and Muses, a fantasy webcomic by Kristen Kiomall-Evans.

It’s early days for Magic and Muses still, but as we near the end of chapter XII: Of Magic and Muses there is something at play that no one knows about… But that’s not a bad thing! One thing I love about this comic so far is the mysteries that have been set up that we need to read on to discover. It lets you think about what’s going to happen and try to piece it together for yourself.

The relationship between Emma and Willow is definitely close, but they are not without their problems. The school itself has almost a Hogwarts feel to it without the magic. It’s more grounded and true to how life in a school like this would actually feel. The dormitory life they live seems so relatable in XII: Of Magic and Muses that despite never having lived in a dorm myself, I completely feel like I understand their daily struggles. The constant interaction with students that you can’t really escape from proves to be an interesting narrative and I’m eager to see more of these interactions carry forward.

The art style that Kristen Kiomall-Evans uses for XII: Of Magic and Muses works well on so many levels. It lends itself to the reader being able to get lost in the magical or otherworldly stuff but not to the point where it takes away from the story. When it needs to get serious, the art doesn’t get in the way. Colours are used with consistent thought towards depicting the right tone Kiomall-Evans is trying to convey, with shades of grey and brown for the scenes at the school, but vivid colours when something is shown that is deeper to the overlying story.

The Verdict
Read It! While XII: Of Magic and Muses only has 35 pages to prove itself, everything flows naturally and I can’t help but admire the art. Updated roughly every two weeks, there are surely more surprises to come. It is a great story so far with lots of detail to the art and the progression of the story is happening at a good pace. XII: Of Magic and Muses is available to read for free online so what do you have to lose except getting lost in the art and anticipating the next update to the comic.