Commander Rao

Commander Rao is a 28 pages one-shot comic that I've backed on Kickstarter. I've juste re-read it and thought it would be a good book to take for my first review.

In a far future, we follow the lone soldier, Commander Rao, as she makes her mission to end the Baron's tyranny and at the same time, to end a decade of war. But even after her death, her motives (beyond ending a war) are still a mystery.

I've read enough comics to say that one-shots, good one-shots, are not easy to make. You have to be concise and yet, not leave important information. And here, it is done. In 28 pages. I'm still amazed that Fell was able to put so much details in so little pages. The blend between the word and the drawing is also flawless. If the information isn't written, it is drawn. In fact, you'll need multiple readings to catch up several hidden details here and there.

About the art itself: it's gorgeous. Again with the blendness: even though it's a sci-fi story, with sci-fi weapons, the characters' costumes are a bit on the old-fashioned side. With a little wink at some classic old comic books. Oh, and the flow of the action is also top-notch! Seriously.

In the end, it didn't really matter if the story was a sci-fi one, it could been in any other genre because this kind story is timeless. This emotion is timeless. And when it is so well told... well, you fall for it. :)