Comic Review: Rose Vol. 1: The Last Light (Image)

The first six issues of Rose are collected in a new trade paperback from Image.

Written by Meredith Finch, and illustrated by Ig Guara, Rose is a fantasy adventure involving a young woman in battle against Drucilla, the evil queen. There are plenty of swordsmen, magic khats (cats), long-suffering villagers and warriors in these collected issues.

The tale is a drawn-out affair, where the last of the Guardians is being hunted to extinction. Drucilla, a powerful evil queen, is razing villages in a quest for ultimate power. It’s truly a battle to the finish between the good Rose and the evil Drucilla.

The story, intended for a teen market, takes time to explain the motivations of the characters, fleshes out interrelationships, and involves us in their hopes and dreams. I found this aspect to be slow going and repetitive, but younger readers may enjoy the details.

The artwork is splendid. Guara has a strong, fluid graphic technique. Rose looks amazing, as do the various bad guys and girls. Colouring is effective and supports the story. This collection includes the covers and variant covers from the first six issues.

Rose TP #1, Image comics, 162 pages, rated Teens. $9.99