Broken Frontier

Rick Smith brings Shuck back to the stands. It=s a treat for old readers, but will new readers feel the same way?

This comic takes place some time before the previous Shuck stories. As we catch up with everyone=s favorite demon, he hasn=t even quite retired yet. We get to see a bit of the story behind said retirement, before he heads towards Thicket and his meeting with the young girl Thursday Friday. To complicate matters, mysterious explosions are lighting up Thicket=s night air.

Rick Smith=s Shuck is a very distinct comic book. Charming and imaginative, the world found in these pages long ago captured me as a reader. Seeing more into this world and the events that led up to the meeting of Shuck and (the wonderfully named) Thursday Friday is an absolute delight. Smith allows readers to see the world through Thursday=s eyes and it holds a good bit of power to those of us who know their future relationship. Unfamiliar readers may not enjoy the story as much, but, if the characters presented intrigue you, you should go buy Shuck Unmasked and then, I guarantee that you will love this book. The world of Shuck is rife with possibilities and Smith has fun exploring them.

It is impossible to review a Shuck comic without mentioning the absolute most charming aspect of the story, the dialogue. It makes me smile every time I read it, and, in addition, gives readers a nice idea of what Shuck is all about. Like the story itself, the dialogue is unique, flowing, and even a bit eerie. I can=t imagine what Shuck would be like without it.

Like many independent artists, Rick Smith has a style that most readers will either love or hate. Count me in the Alove@ category. No matter if it=s the office drama of Temporary or the endless deserts of Baraka or this fanciful world of Shuck, Smith=s simple, but expressive, style works perfectly. His art is tad reminiscent of James Kochalka, but he definitely has his own unique style, exemplified by his wondrous character designs. The design for Shuck is absolutely marvelous, conveying the character=s warm yet dangerous demeanor perfectly.

While new readers would do well to check out previous Shuck stories first, it still stands that Rick Smith has given his readers another winning story from the imaginative world of Shuck and his minions.