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Isola (Single Issues)
Isola #1
Childhood friends BRENDEN FLETCHER (MOTOR CRUSH) and Eisner Award-winning storyteller KARL KERSCHL (Gotham Academy) reunite on the comics page with a breathtaking fantasy adventure two decades in the making! The captain of the Royal Guard has fled the capital city with the Queen of Maar, suffering under the effects of an evil spell. Captain Rook’s only hope of returning Queen Olwyn to her throne and saving the kingdom from impending war lies on an island half a world away—a place known in myth as Isola, land of the dead. Featuring lush color work by MSASSYK (Gotham Academy) and letters by ADITYA BIDIKAR (MOTOR CRUSH). Recommended for fans of Studio Ghibli and the work of Hayao Miyazaki. - See more at: https://imagecomics.com/comics/releas...
33 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2018
12 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
Brenden Fletcher
179 books184 followersBrenden Fletcher is a writer who's worked on DC Comics titles including the bestselling Batgirl of Burnside, Gotham Academy, and Black Canary.
He contributed the acclaimed Flash story to the Eisner and Harvey Award winning Wednesday Comics and has recently launched a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink series for Boom! Studios.
He contributed the acclaimed Flash story to the Eisner and Harvey Award winning Wednesday Comics and has recently launched a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink series for Boom! Studios.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
August 15, 2021
Story is OK. A nice fantasy yarn that isn't too surprising. I liked Rook's character. Very well drawn. And speaking of drawing, Isola is beautifully, beautifully illustrated. Artwork worth lingering over. Artist Karl Herschl and colorist Msassyk are a exquisite pairing. I'll definitely be continuing this series.
September 10, 2018
I had to read this and the second issue again because I completely forgot what this was about - not a fault of the series though. I didn't look at my original rating and I'm pleasantly surprised I agree with it. Haven't read a bad issue yet.
April 17, 2018
Isola it's a new comic, published April, 4th 2018 and they spent a long time to do it. It's a kind violent respect to animals, that part didn't like it at all, it was shocking to see the tiger with all the arrows in his body, but the colours were good.
December 13, 2021
This is nice. I love the fact that the guard is a woman. And the interactions between her and the queen are so funny.
May 11, 2018
'They're going to bring the wrath of the gods down on all of us.'
I picked up Isola mainly for the reason that there simply aren't enough fantasy comic series out there. We all love and appreciate Monstress, but I always need more and Isola delivers.
The most important thing to note about Isola is that the focus isn't on dialogue or on narration of which there is none, it's on art, color and the use of color in the art that gives Isola its depth. As a result, the imagery is stunning yet sophisticated while also being vast in its scope. The body language and facial expressions of the characters say volumes of whatever amount of little dialogue there is. There is blood, there are gross innards, magnificent landscapes and mythical creatures and the inspirations drawn from the works of Miyazaki are clear. In other words, visual storytelling done right!
Moving on, I appreciate the hell out of the fact that the two main characters are both females and that Queen Owlyn is as majestic, silent and imposing as Captain Rook is devoted, loyal to a fault and trying her best adjust to the unusual situation that she's found herself in. She loses her composure easily and quite frequently and it's amusing to her hastily backtrack in front of her queen.
Like most fantasy, at its core the story is about a quest, but being thrown into the middle of the story shows that there's as much of a backstory to be told as there's a forward one along with everything that's happening at present and I can't wait to get to it all.
I picked up Isola mainly for the reason that there simply aren't enough fantasy comic series out there. We all love and appreciate Monstress, but I always need more and Isola delivers.
The most important thing to note about Isola is that the focus isn't on dialogue or on narration of which there is none, it's on art, color and the use of color in the art that gives Isola its depth. As a result, the imagery is stunning yet sophisticated while also being vast in its scope. The body language and facial expressions of the characters say volumes of whatever amount of little dialogue there is. There is blood, there are gross innards, magnificent landscapes and mythical creatures and the inspirations drawn from the works of Miyazaki are clear. In other words, visual storytelling done right!
Moving on, I appreciate the hell out of the fact that the two main characters are both females and that Queen Owlyn is as majestic, silent and imposing as Captain Rook is devoted, loyal to a fault and trying her best adjust to the unusual situation that she's found herself in. She loses her composure easily and quite frequently and it's amusing to her hastily backtrack in front of her queen.
Like most fantasy, at its core the story is about a quest, but being thrown into the middle of the story shows that there's as much of a backstory to be told as there's a forward one along with everything that's happening at present and I can't wait to get to it all.
November 20, 2020
This book gets four stars on the strength of its art alone. Everything is gorgeous; from the lines, colors, and the cinematic panels.
The story begins in media res, the queen is under a curse and on the run with an attendant. If you get caught with the flow with the book, it can get confusing, so try to relax your pacing. The first issue alone isn't enough to draw any judgment on the story, but I think this would be better read as a trade.
The story begins in media res, the queen is under a curse and on the run with an attendant. If you get caught with the flow with the book, it can get confusing, so try to relax your pacing. The first issue alone isn't enough to draw any judgment on the story, but I think this would be better read as a trade.
May 12, 2018
Beautiful art. The artist managed to give a tiger facial expressions and body language understanding to a human reader. The world building is subtle and expertly done. I am so excited to learn more about the backstory and goals of Isola.
April 7, 2018
Ghibli fan heart is happy.
I'm intrigued by this story.
And the art and colours are gorgeous.
I'm intrigued by this story.
And the art and colours are gorgeous.
Read
January 10, 2022The artwork is absolutely lush! Excited to see where the story goes!
January 22, 2023
The art is so beautiful, this story is an Ok for now but the idea of female guard and her respect for the queen a little bit funny.
February 22, 2022
I'm actually confused by the storyline as a whole and what happened in this comic.
Maybe because it's still the first comic so I can understand that. I just don't know why the scene here seems to be the umpteenth part of a story that has existed before. Even though it's still the first title anyway.
Maybe because I still don't understand the story, I can't give a high rating for the comic first. But the illustration of the tiger is really cute, seriously.
2,8 stars.
Maybe because it's still the first comic so I can understand that. I just don't know why the scene here seems to be the umpteenth part of a story that has existed before. Even though it's still the first title anyway.
Maybe because I still don't understand the story, I can't give a high rating for the comic first. But the illustration of the tiger is really cute, seriously.
2,8 stars.
April 4, 2018
4,5* le artwork est magnifique, mais après seulement un numéro on ne sait pas trop encore ce qui se passe, bien hâte de lire la suite pour en savoir plus !
April 29, 2018
Good artwork and the writing seemed pretty good, for me it's too early to see how good or bad this is gonna be. I'm interested though, gonna see where it goes.
October 16, 2020
The art and characters are beautifully done, but the plot is kinda of hard to follow along. I hope in future volumes will tell us what is going on to understand this one better.
January 29, 2020
Started reading Isola and it has not disappointed! Was worried the story would be weak given much of the reviews- but was shocked to learn that its story was as engaging as it was. I'm a sucker for "character got turned into an animal" story-lines. Just because the story is simple does not make it a bad or even weak narrative.
Much of this issue is just wordless panels. And when you start animating each panel in your head like a cartoon- my gosh. I spent a good 3-5 minutes per page. It was very enlightening. I feel like this could be a big budget animated film. It almost feels like an experimental early 2000's Disney film. (Think Atlantis blended with Treasure Planet and ESPECIALLY Brother Bear).
It reminded me of Monstress. But with less dialogue and *bullshit*
(I love Monstress for the record. But it can occasionally feel conventional in its pacing. THIS on the other hand is a work of freaking art).
I almost feel bad for saying JH Williams III's Art in Sandman Overture is the best the medium has to offer. I feel I need to redact that statement ever so briefly to say ISOLA has a fighting chance in that pantheon. This is the kind of art that gets me out of bed in the morning.
If it keeps it up, it might just find a place in my favorites collection...
Much of this issue is just wordless panels. And when you start animating each panel in your head like a cartoon- my gosh. I spent a good 3-5 minutes per page. It was very enlightening. I feel like this could be a big budget animated film. It almost feels like an experimental early 2000's Disney film. (Think Atlantis blended with Treasure Planet and ESPECIALLY Brother Bear).
It reminded me of Monstress. But with less dialogue and *bullshit*
(I love Monstress for the record. But it can occasionally feel conventional in its pacing. THIS on the other hand is a work of freaking art).
I almost feel bad for saying JH Williams III's Art in Sandman Overture is the best the medium has to offer. I feel I need to redact that statement ever so briefly to say ISOLA has a fighting chance in that pantheon. This is the kind of art that gets me out of bed in the morning.
If it keeps it up, it might just find a place in my favorites collection...
June 25, 2021
The artwork is beautiful, but I got to the end and I still have no idea what is happening or why. The Goodreads summary is more informative than the actually plot, I feel like. I honestly felt like I was reading the third issue and not the first one. You come straight into this scene and you don't know what's happening or why you care. I love the idea of the world, but it fell a little flat for me. I'd be willing to read more for the art and because I am a little curious, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find the next issue.
Also, merely as a side note, I honestly could not figure out what the title font was saying on the cover. I thought it was JS---and couldn't read the rest. I'm sure this was just a me thing, but I'm very particular with fonts and I didn't feel like the font matched the world. It feels more mechanical and futuristic and not fantastical to me. But, that's just personal preference and disability biasing me against the font.
Also, merely as a side note, I honestly could not figure out what the title font was saying on the cover. I thought it was JS---and couldn't read the rest. I'm sure this was just a me thing, but I'm very particular with fonts and I didn't feel like the font matched the world. It feels more mechanical and futuristic and not fantastical to me. But, that's just personal preference and disability biasing me against the font.
April 5, 2018
OK. This is going to be driven by backstory, I can see it coming.
In this first issue, Fletcher throws us into the middle of a young girls adventure with what seems to be a member of royalty who's been turned into a blue and green tiger. She clearly has to get this creature to a set location, facing hazards on the way, but her motivation and reasoning are invisible at the moment.
This will definitely take a few issues to get into. which is unlike Fletcher's other work (Gotham Academy, Batgirl of Burnside) which is usually quite accessible.
Thanks to Image for the review copy.
In this first issue, Fletcher throws us into the middle of a young girls adventure with what seems to be a member of royalty who's been turned into a blue and green tiger. She clearly has to get this creature to a set location, facing hazards on the way, but her motivation and reasoning are invisible at the moment.
This will definitely take a few issues to get into. which is unlike Fletcher's other work (Gotham Academy, Batgirl of Burnside) which is usually quite accessible.
Thanks to Image for the review copy.
May 27, 2018
3.5 stars. Lovely art, but the frustration/confusion that the main character feels at all of the one-sided conversations with no answers definitely spread to me as well. There is a lot of subtlety to the non-verbal communication to make up for it, and there is the potential for a lot of rich atmosphere, but this didn't quite capture me (there is also something about the paneling that lacks weight?). I feel like I would enjoy this most in trade format; perhaps I will revisit the series at such time when one is released.
April 6, 2018
Visiting the local comic book store and was gripped by the cover of this new release from Image. Picked it up and I was not disappointed!
This first issue lays the foundation of great and fantastical potential! Within these beautifully crafted pages the reader is thrust with no explanation to plot world or characters and the details are unveiled with each page turn. Excited to see where this goes!
This first issue lays the foundation of great and fantastical potential! Within these beautifully crafted pages the reader is thrust with no explanation to plot world or characters and the details are unveiled with each page turn. Excited to see where this goes!
December 21, 2020
Long dream't Crown
Awakens four
Mark haunted hearts
To Isola's shore
This seemingly epic fantasy throws you right into the deep end. Queen of Maar has been turned into a tiger and the Captain of the Guard is trying to protect her whilst trying to find a cure for the curse. Hunted by bandits they seemingly have no where to run.
I feel I should have liked this more but it just didn't grab me. I might give it a second chance at some stage but for now it'll be only 2 stars from me.
Awakens four
Mark haunted hearts
To Isola's shore
This seemingly epic fantasy throws you right into the deep end. Queen of Maar has been turned into a tiger and the Captain of the Guard is trying to protect her whilst trying to find a cure for the curse. Hunted by bandits they seemingly have no where to run.
I feel I should have liked this more but it just didn't grab me. I might give it a second chance at some stage but for now it'll be only 2 stars from me.
August 19, 2021
As I am making my way through all the free Image single issues I keep running into stories like this. High fantasy, dropped in the middle of the plot, you're supposed to care about people and a kingdom you've never known immediately, and there some kind of magic that will be explained later on in the series. I think it is supposed to elicit curiosity, but as soon as I start these kind of comics I just turn off my brain and make my way through. The art was nice, but really this wasn't for me.
May 28, 2018
This epic adventure is just beginning, but the characters are appealing enough and there is enough mystery to bring readers back for more. Combined with lush artwork Isola is a treat worth experiencing.
Full Review at:
https://thebrazenbull.com/comics/2018/04/02/isola-1-advanced-review/
Full Review at:
https://thebrazenbull.com/comics/2018/04/02/isola-1-advanced-review/
April 12, 2018
The art is amazing. I enjoyed the story. I liked that it threw you into the middle of the story and made you work by inference for back story. We will probably see the inciting incident in later issues. Off to a good start with this new series. Can't wait to read the next issue.
May 6, 2018
A wonderful work of art. I was thunderstruck reading this book: the pace of the storytelling and the art are exquisite. Now I understand why Karl Kerschl is not working on his awesome webcomics The Abominable Charles Christopher... Can't wait to continue reading... I definitely recommend this book.
December 31, 2019
The art is wonderful and very vibrant but I feel like I’m reading the middle of the conflict. I’m pretty confused about the story even after reading the prologue before this. I’m very curious to see where things go so my curiosity does outweigh my confusion.
December 6, 2022
Great hook, not sure how the story will develop. Sometimes the fantasy world is a bit too otherworldly to comprehend, and while the art carries the action, I'm interested to see if the story will develop to be more coherent.
April 4, 2018
Great visual storytelling, but not sure about the actual plot. Our protagonist isn’t doing much for me as yet. Not sure I’ll be reading more.
April 7, 2018
Great intro to a new series, the art is breathtaking with colours that astound.
April 7, 2018
Very exciting first issue. Not sure how anything got how it is, but it is an interesting world and conditions for a comic series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews