Broken Frontier

And now for something completely different…Thank God for Monty Python and the fact Radical Publishing is extending their reach beyond the grim and gruesome, zombie-infested world of video game adaptations and glorified film treatments. Although enjoying absolutely gorgeous production values and high profile talent such as David Hine, Leonardo Manco, Rick Remender, Jimmy Palmiotti, and John Heffernan, their stable of titles was becoming a little one-dimensional.

It’s okay to have a niche but it’s much better to push the boundaries and step outside your comfort zone every once in a while, especially for a smaller publisher. The trick is remaining true to the core values that made you successful in the first place, something Radical has achieved in its latest creative endeavor Jake the Dreaming, an illustrated novel for young adults.

Confident in their stunning new direction, Radical is offering Jake the Dreaming as a Silver tier comic for this Free Comic Book Day. Broken Frontier was fortunate enough to receive an advance preview of the book from Radical for review purposes. Springing from the minds of creators Adam Freeman and Marc Bernardin, Jake the Dreaming chronicles the surreal adventures of the titular character as he navigates the Etherland entering the dreams of his neighbors at will.

Featuring excerpt pages from the completed novel, the preview book does a great job dangling the carrot and inciting the audience’s imagination for more. Similar in tone to what you would find in most young adult sections at your local bookstore, Jake the Dreaming does possess a slightly darker tone than some contemporary works, due to the subject matter. The bizarre digitalized art of Andrew Jones also goes a long way towards achieving a somewhat more mature atmosphere for much of the preview. This isn’t to say Jake the Dreaming is too mature for younger readers; it simply doesn’t talk down to them and includes a sophistication in the artwork that parents might appreciate.

A striking first salvo in what promises to be an intriguing new publishing direction, Radical’s Jake the Dreaming is a rousing, heartwarming story for all ages and likely to be a big hit this Free Comic Book Day.