Broken Frontier

This is one of those books that comes from nowhere and makes a real impact. The first issue sold out, generating the need for a second printing and this second issue boldly stamps the praise of Amazing Spider-Man writer Joe Kelly on its cover, as well it should.

This offering from Th3rd World Studios is best summed up in one of those mash-up descriptions that never seem to do justice to what they're hyping, but I’ll give it a shot. The Stuff of Legend is Toy Story by way of Tolkien or a bed-time tale if told by Guillermo del Toro. What Legend is really about however is the darkness inherent in all good fantasy and the effect war has on those knee deep in it. Sure, the story centres on archetypes of children’s playthings, but that doesn’t mean the emotional content is less rich. In the first issue the owner of the heroic toys was taken into the darkness by The Boogeyman, leaving his toys (some reluctantly) to spring into action. There’s a proud Indian princess, an energetic jester, a cautious pig, a brave bear and so on, but writers Mike Raicht and Brian Smith use dialogue with such crisp elegance that most readers will surely forget they’re engrossed by talking toys.

Setting this story in the dark days of World War II adds to the drama and the creepy theatrics that come into focus when the toys traverse into The Boggeyman’s territory, known as The Dark, to reclaim their owner. Last issue’s battle and surprise ending raised the stakes even higher, and here disharmony in the ranks of the good toys begins to show as they make some new “friends.”

They take a breather in the Town of Hopscotch, but only moments after stepping inside its walls they’re branded as cheaters. Soon, they're face to face with the Hopscotch’s rule abiding beliefs and their Colonel Sanders-lookalike Mayor. Then a high stakes game of life, death and loyalty begins. The bulk of this 60 page issue is spent within Hopscotch and more of The Boogeyman’s influence is revealed.

Very little of The Boogeyman is actually seen, but his presence creeps into the story with wicked tones. With great pacing and a genuine feeling of being uncertain of what the next page holds, this is an extremely well crafted adventure.

Its landscape orientation, sepia tones and parchment background on each page, are daring design choices, but all these elements serve to make The Stuff of Legend such an enjoyable reading experience. Charles Paul Wilson’s artwork is simple, yet mature. However it appears we may have to wait until next year to see more of it, when Volume 2 is released, and with more dangling plot points in this issue, it appears as though there are more stories to tell in this far from childish world.

Legend is a declaration that the spirit of Alice in Wonderland is alive and well. Lewis Carroll would be proud.