Lake of Fire
Writer/Colorist/Letterer: Nathan Fairbairn
Artist: Matt Smith
Publisher: Image Comics
A review by Hafsa Alkhudairi
Aliens? The Crusades? Female character is the voice of reason? Need I say more? If I haven’t won you over yet, Lake of Fire is one of the most fascinating comics I’ve read this year. From the beginning of the narrative, the reader is shocked by the introduction of aliens in the crusades. Yet, the narrative doesn’t stop shocking the reader.
The story holds on to the stereotypes of the crusades with the existence of religious representations who are problematic and blood thirsty, and of women who are demonized. I do admit that at some points, the comic reminded me of Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King (the movie) with certain scenes reflecting the same aesthetics.
The similarities end there. The art isn’t realistic, the design is quite cartoonish, but that makes Lake of Fire more engaging for the reader. For example, some character designs are simplistic in their creation to produce a sense of eeriness. The design is to jar the reader from the seriousness of the topic, aliens notwithstanding. To top it, there is a thematic use of the color red, which seems to be a tendency in comics. The idea of red is to reflect on blood, to reinforce the idea of fire, and to show desperation. However, it is balanced out by love and creative thinking. And please pay attention to the panels in Lake of Fire that have a white background! That’s all I will say to avoid spoiling anything!
Verdict:
Buy it! If you like reading action sci-fi or have a soft spot for history, Lake of Fire is the book for you. The narrative is engaging and has an element that would pique the interest of different readers. Yet, the design seems more cartoonish to offset the seriousness and severity of the topic. The story revolves around fire and is reflected by the color scheme, especially with the emphasis on the color red. In general, the narrative is engaging and interesting to explore both in the thematic and stylistic design. Look it up here!
