Review: Stone Cop
Delivered after a successful Kickstarter campaign, Stone Cop is now available from Nick Bryan, and I have some thoughts on this one-shot…
In the city of Brighton Ridge, Colorado, the rock trolls came down from the mountains to terrorise the population. They tear up streets, crush vehicles and rip open homes.
The people live in fear, and only one thing can save them - to defeat the masonic menace, we need StoneCop! Once a rock troll himself, he's been chiselled down and reprogrammed to become the city's most statuesque law enforcer.
And now he faces his greatest test yet - transporting an imprisoned troll across the city to become the first inmate in Stonemax, their new maximum security underground prison. But the mountain monsters are determined to intercept the transfer and punish our hero for betraying them.
And if StoneCop survives this gravelly gauntlet, what other dark secrets lurk in the mountains?
Writer: Nick Bryan, Artist: Phil Appley, Letterer: DC Hopkins & Cover inks: Amanda Liu.
When I read the blurb above and saw the cover, I got some real RoboCop vibes. That’s not why I backed it, though; although it may have helped, I’ve backed some of Nick’s works and enjoyed them immensely. 1
It’s not quite what I expected, but this was a fast-paced read. There is a little exposition, but it is important and gets subtly referred to later in the story. Stone Cop is a good character; yes, he has the Robo Cop feel about him. He’s not trusted by many of his peers in the police force because of his Troll origins, but there is one who learns to, which builds well as the story progresses.
As for the Trolls. They are big and craggy, and some excellent artwork shows their different styles. I like how they all have some interesting personalities, and the mission is fraught with danger as one of them is transported.
This is a deeper read than you could imagine. When I reached the end, I forgot it was a one-shot and yearned for more…
I enjoyed both the art and the style of that and the colouring - this felt quite unique for the style of the story being told, but it not only showed the characters well but also the frantic nature of the moving vehicles (and people), with the washed tones, it is quite a contrast!
Nick has done a great job of mixing the right amount of action, character development and plot twists to keep you guessing and wanting more. Despite the RoboCop feel, Stone Cop is a unique character in his own right, with his own unique struggles and personality traits. The Trolls are also fantastic! Each one has its own identity and style, making them more than just generic villains or henchmen. The artwork is top-notch, and the colour palette used adds a whole extra layer of atmosphere to the story. In conclusion, this is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good action-packed comic with a depth of character development. It's a one-shot, but by the end, you'll be hoping for a sequel. Hats off to Nick for another great work!
You can get Stone Cop (and more) here:
Including Death Of A Necromancer, FairyFare and The Little Deaths Of Watson Tower