The New World #2 Review

The New World #2

Writer: Aleš Kot
Artist: Tradd Moore
Color Artist: Heather Moore
Flatter: Ludwig Olimba
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Designer: Tom Muller
Publisher: Image

A review by Christoph Staffl

In the last issue, the creators elegantly introduced us to our two main protagonists, Stella and Kirby. Inevitably their worlds collided and they hocked up. Neither of them knew anything about the other. Now, the unlikely couple is center stage of the next Guardian manhunt. Will Stella hunt down Kirby and deliver him to her father, following in his footsteps?

The first, oversized issue stood out because of its wonderful design. Not just of the world Stella and Kirby live in, but the design of the comic itself. It is nice to see that the creators can keep that up in the second issue. Unfortunately, The New World #2 is normal size, and thus ends way too soon. I want to talk about two design elements specifically: panel-structure and coloring.

In the last issue, Tradd Moore presented us with wide, page-length panels which give The New World a unique look. For example, we get more details in facial expressions though close-ups. In wide shots, the open space gives him the opportunity to show us everything that is going on, including the surroundings – be it in action scenes or dialogues.

Another thing Moore uses in a unique way is the space between panels: the gutter. In some scenes, especially in action sequences, the lack of empty space between these wide panels create a rushed feeling, pressuring the reader to move faster and creating the perfect illusion of a fast-paced action sequence in a static medium.

A third thing he does in visual storytelling is letting characters breaking out of the panels to show dominance and importance. These situations add to the overall design and, combined with the mostly flat but popping colors by Heather Moore, we get a stellar comic experience.

If you want to know more about the creation of The New World and what thought that went into it, I can’t recommend the 13th issue of PanelxPanel enough. The creators talk in-depth about their work, how they approach each issue, and more.

But enough about the design of the comic, let’s get back to what is going on inside the panels. Aleš Kot does not wast any time and we jump right back into the confrontation between Stella and Kirby. The character development and how they react to certain situations both feel like a natural expansion to what we saw in the first issue. Even though there is no surprise in what they do, it is even more engaging to witness how they do it.

In addition to that, we get a bit more insight into how this world works and how the Guardians are treated. Their purpose is to entertain the viewers and bring justice to criminals by doing so. To get a good view, the personal space of the Guardians was intruded in a special way, but you have to find this one out by yourself. Let’s just say it creates a problem that needs to be solved quickly.

The Verdict: Read it!

The New World is a new series you don’t want to miss out on. The creative team behind it built something special, and I can’t wait for the next issue.