by Joe Iconic, Reporter
Abandoned at birth in the slums of the Maze, Poe has lived in the shadows his entire life, shielded from those who would try to hurt him. Raised in the wealth and order of the City, Bianca yearns for an adventure beyond the towering white walls. When their worlds collide and danger looms on all sides, a friendship grows between the city girl and the boy covered in feathers.
Feathers #1 is All-Ages, done right! Feathers is X-Men meets Disney in a Victorian setting, with Mike Mignola-influenced art. Jorge Corona (co-writer/illustrator Goners, illustrator Justice League Beyond and Teen Titans Go!) writes and illustrates this new must-read dark fairy tale from Archaia/Boom Studios.
Feathers has all the right stuff. The orphaned boy hero, rejected by the people he helps. His star-crossed friend, the ivory tower girl with a sense of adventure. A mysterious pied-piper villain with a scarlet scarf. The “mice” are waifs straight out of Oliver Twist. And cool steam-punk goggles never hurt, of course.
Jen Hickman (Liberator) on colors and Corona’s backgrounds are perfect for this story. At a glance, the reader knows exactly what side of the wall each panel depicts. The darker streets where the have-nots live have just the right amount of debris and ruin, and framed with crowded buildings and smokestacks. The privileged live in brighter white-walled gated community.
As a father who shares comics with his daughters, Feathers is on top of my read-list. This story flows wonderfully when read out loud, and allows for the silly accents that are reasonably tolerated by my youngest. I would recommend this story for 8 years and older, due to a little darkness and the issue of class struggle. My youngest is reaching that stage where an ongoing mystery to unravel is an important part of a story, which this series delivers well. Also, Poe (apropos, right?) has much of the same feel as a young Nightcrawler, my favorite X-Man, if you replace swashbuckling with goth. This comic is also shared with both my 8 year old and my nearly 15 year old, a rare category currently only inhabited by Doctor Who (The 11th Doctor) and Edward Scissorhands. (My girls are pretty awesome.)
For music to listen to while enjoying Feathers, I went back and forth between Pandora soundtracks of Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, and Alice in Wonderland to find the right mix of darkness and innocence for this Victorian-like setting. Via twitter, Creator Jorge Corona was awesome enough to confirm that these influences were close to what he listened to while illustrating, but during plotting, more Beatles, Coldplay, and Neil Diamond. Well played, Mr. Corona. So the real lesson is always to listen to what moves you. Please feel free to leave your musical suggestions in the comments!
Feathers #1 is a promising start, with all the right hooks and world building for a new series. Jorge Corona delivers with his first installment of six-issues, and I look forward to the next issue, expected ship date February 4. Put this on your pull list immediately. Everyone needs a sense of wonder on occasion.
Rating: 
ComicsOnline gives Feathers #1 5 out of 5 bird boys.
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