Broken Frontier

Xylia really did sneak up on me. It debuted sometime between my overview of the peak echelons of Top Webcomics and my search for up-and-comers in the depths of the list. Barb Jacobs didn’t need to mention it to me in our recent interview, because it’s sitting right in front of me the whole time – ranked #18 on the list.

Not surprisingly, it’s terrific, encompassing a grand historic scale rarely seen in most web fantasies. Opening on the Norman conquest of England, the dying solider Claudius encounters the eponymous fairy Xylia and returns life after life in search of her. But this perhaps Highlander-like set-up is only the tip of the iceberg, as the tale is related by the enigmatic Dr. Ambrosia to a young boy named Charles, who sees Ambrosia every time his clock stops and Ambrosia’s office behind a different door every night.

Much like Talismen, Xylia is about growing up, and the consequences on fantasy. For Charles, he is diagnosed as a schizophrenic upon reaching adulthood. Hoping to break this stigma, Charles declares Ambrosia a figment of his imagination and he disappears, leaving behind only his Welsh Corgi, Livy. Later, however, Charles is attacked by magical assailants and forced to rediscover his so-called delusion in order to survive.

The story is admittedly just getting warmed up, with a wounded Charles on the run just minutes after the attack. But already there’s an entirely fresh and original foundation for the fantasy world in place. What is the secret of the book Ambrosia gave Charles? What’s the deal with the watch which stops every time Ambrosia appears? And just who is Ambrosia anyway? There are quite a lot of elements in play here, but they are extremely intriguing.

The English setting also adds a significant element of mystery, with so much history packed into one place. Still, at times the English accents feel a bit forced. I think bystanders witnessing a bloodied, spear-wielding Charles would use a more colorful word than “nutters.” However, this is just a tiny nit-pick to the so-far grandiose storyline.

With Xylia just picking up steam so far, now’s the best time to jump on-board. Much like Talismen, Xylia is a rising power in the world of webcomics – and one you definitely don’t want to miss.