Written by: Damian Wampler
Art by: Andre Siregar
Publisher: Broken Icon Comics
A common complaint among comic critics is that the industry is mostly capes and fisticuffs. It’s hard to argue against the oversaturation of Marvel and DC characters on the shelves. Thanks to independent publishers we can get much more unique material, and really explore what the world of comics can offer.
Sevara is a grand heroic fantasy that follows a witch and a slave as they run away from a sadistic monarch governed by a magical book. This book of Muldoon holds secrets that will tear apart the foundation of what the character’s know to be true. It’s clear that there is a rich mythology to this series that will be uncovered in time.
The comic falls for the classic sword and sorcery trope of having the woman barely clad. It devalues the great artwork into something for prepubescent boys to gawk at. It’s especially odd as both the lead characters are female and are presented as heroic and strong. This doesn’t match their portrayal as it makes them seem they are strictly for sex appeal.
Andre Siregar’s artwork is incredible. The panels are extensively detailed and perfectly encapsulate what pages in this genre should look like. Siregar’s landscapes are far-reaching, magic has an ethereal aesthetic, while castles are gargantuan and vacant. His art creates a more powerful mythology for the issue.
The comic is phenomenal in it’s world-building. Damian Wampler feeds us just enough information so we buy this mystical land, but doesn’t exhaust us with details. It’s clear that there is much more to the world of Sevara that will be left to explore in the future. Certain items and characters clearly have rich back stories. The scope of this issue is impressive.
Due to the introduction of Sevara’s world we don’t get that much time with any of the characters. Their personal traits are identifiable, but we only get the skeleton of who they are. The comic would have benefited from being longer as there is way too much to introduce and explain in 24 pages. It’s obvious that there’s room to develop everything, but it leaves it leaves this issue feeling congested.
Sevara is worth picking up if you are a fan of the sword and sorcery genre. It’s world-building and phenomenal artwork outweigh the sexualization of the protagonists and excessive amount of dense mythology and characters . The cover of the practically naked women could be a turn off for some, but it does give the wrong impression of the comic.
Sevara is now available on Comixology.
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