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by R.J. Carter Published: June 2, 2003
Meridian is like no other comic book on the market. Not a superhero book as overpopulates the stand, yet not one of the introspective mundanities that usually tries to pass itself off as the alternative.The heroine of our tale is Sephie, a young girl who has had the leadership of her island country of Meridian thrust upon her. Her uncle, Ilahn, is ruler of his own island, Cadador, and his interests are in distinct conflict with Sephie's. It's his goal to control the girl, and thus her country--along with the commerce and economics of all the other island nations. But there's more than money and power at stake; a strange being has imbued both Sephie and Ilahn with special gifts--gifts of creation and destruction. No, this doesn't turn the genre back toward superheroics... far from it. It's more akin to the tales of the young King Arthur and his magical sword, Excalibur. But comparing Meridian to the young Arthur is like comparing catsup to chili simply because they both use tomatos! Barbara Kesel spins a saga of which this issue is only a small chapter. In this particular issue, we find Sephie, believing her uncle Ilahn to now dead, sailing through the skies toward the island of Nescoan, there to initiate diplomatic relations with Meridian. But Ilahn is not dead, and is using influence with the other nations to set them against Sephie's efforts--or face embargos from Cadador and subsequent economic ruin. Meanwhile, back home in Meridian, the long-lost Jad returns, ready to renew his romance with Sephie. But there's another young man with his eyes on Sephie--and another young lady with her eyes on Jad!  Meridian is that rare book that appeals across ages and genders. The pencils and inks of Steve McNiven and Tom Simmons are nothing short of exquisite. And in a landscape that is largely sky populated with the occassional Laputan chunk of rock, the colorist becomes even more important for communicating depth. Fortunately, Morry Hollowell is a master of the form, as evidenced by this cover that just begs for a frame. |
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