Creator/Writer Bobby Torres
Writer Anthony Rodriguez
Artist Rowel Roque
Colorist Ronson Edulan
Letterer/Designer Nic J. Shaw
Editor Jack Gracia and Jason Bennett
Cover Artists Cover A Rowel Roque and Ronson Edulan
Cover Artist Cover B Luke Stone
Published in Association with Tenacious Comics
I’m seriously excited to be checking out Rapid Eye; I have been waiting to see this since the first Tenacious Comics review I did, Worst Day Ever! I was also a Kickstarter backer for this project, a fact that I’m very proud of because without the support of indie comic lovers indie comic books would have a much tougher road to travel. There are few things more exciting than being a backer, literally and figuratively, and watching projects come to life.
For my personal tastes I like to see a few different things from a suspense or thriller type comic book. I absolutely need compelling characters that capture interest for their plight, Rapid Eye has this on both sides of the spectrum; interesting and mysterious protagonists and mysteriously nefarious villains. I also need some sort of storyline that isn’t a typical “nuke in the city” type of trope. Rapid Eye has a seriously interesting premise that the first issue hardly gets started into leaving me ready for issue two already.
The idea is that a CIA operative is on the run from his own agency because he is in possession of some serious information. The CIA division he works for is also in control of some secret dream invasion tech so the action is literally non stop as he is being pursued as he sleeps and as he is awake. I feel like the writing is hitting me from several angles and I love the way Torres is balancing the different ways a comic can tell the story; between visual, dialog, and captions Torres pieces together the story with a clear vision. There is time put into this story and character development because they both grow organically and I enjoy the way the first issue leaves me satisfied but ends with me wanting more. The story builds but doesn’t go too fast and reveals but continues to tease and leaves on a high note that sets up issue two ideally.
As someone that isn’t very talented artistically I often wonder how guys like Roque, Edulan, and Shaw blend their three styles so well. The art in Rapid Eye is crisp as can be; the line work is clear and thick where needed and slim and light where needed, while the coloring looks almost glossy and pop off the page even though it’s mostly a light pastel color palette. Even though the art is fantastic I feel like the visual storytelling and the link between artist and writers is what really stands out. This team certainly knows that some things are better left unsaid but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t touched on. I had to go back twice just to catch some of the more subtle things in the art.
All of the effort of storytelling is really nothing without a good letterer. I truly believe that lettering is something like a book’s binding, there are run of the mill paperbacks and then there are hard covers. Shaw is a hardcover with skills that can be compared to some of the best. I like the fonts that he chose to use, I feel there classically comic book and help give the book a little of the classic feel. There are a few captions here and there but nothing excessive as the story didn’t really call for them but what I feel was the best is the subtle and perfectly placed action lettering’s. The subtle lettering is why I compare it to book bindings, we glance at it and maybe notice a little but for the most part it’s taken for granted and not noticed unless it’s done wrong. Shaw deserves his place at the table for serving up some delicious lettering that is the hard cover to this novel.
If this sounds like a book you want to check out you can always go to Tenacious Comics website, or check them out on social media like Facebook or Twitter.
