Review: Alma #1
Available now from Die Bold Comics
From Die Bold Comics and available digitally on Comix.One is the beginning of a new series - Alma issue one is available now.
What if Buffy was a 72 year old Grandmother? Alma Bernard is in her garden when is struck by the power of the champion and reborn. Coming to her aid is the Eternal Companion, born this life as a foul mouthed garden gnome. Alma is charged with fighting demons and monsters that inhibit our world and to keep the world safe for such terrors. Aiding her in this fight beside Tyrone, her garden gnome companion will be ghost of her sea husband and 15 year old grand daughter Katie.
John Holland - Writing, Editing, Publishing
This is a clever beginning. For too long has there been an inexperienced-in-life hero. Now, in Alma, we get one that is long in the tooth!
I liked this pacing - the references to Buffy are perfect, and that matter is dealt with correctly. Even so, the story has an excellent sense of maturity, with some well-spoken dialogue between Alma and her Gnome associate.
There is some good action within this issue, too. With the original monster slayer dealing with all manner of monsters - until she meets the monster’s monster! That is well played out - showing a little less than you will think but implying a lot in a special way.
Alma does get in on that, too, and the change in her style from the previous champion is excellent. The style is a little slower, and the aches and pains are still there.
I enjoyed the art style, and there were some excellent monster aspects to it - the test for Alma was well shown, and I love how it was all set up.
This makes an excellent beginning - there are questions that we have, and those are reflected in the character’s conversations too, but here, there may be better questions from Alma than those had heard before?
