Archeologists of Shadows Graphic Novel Review

Introduction:

Imagine a world where the organic human form is slowly converting into a mechanical construct. There are those that embrace the change as the will of the gods and rule the streets with fear and intimidation. Those that don’t conform are sent to a prison where their change is inevitable. The targets of that intimidation are ones that resist the change or don’t change quickly enough for their liking. The Authorities only resistance is a group called the Archeologists who seek a way to stop the change or at least find a way to communicate with the gods to find the truth behind their plan.

Vitals

Title: Archeologists of Shadows
Creator: Lara Fuentes and Patricio Clarey
Writer: Lara Fuentes
Artist: Patricio Clarey
Content: Archeologists of Shadows contains violence, action, and drama. It is rated for most ages.
Publisher: Septagon Studios
Cost: $.99 via digital download.

Story:

The story of Archeologists of Shadows centers around two young creatures that are resisting the change. Alix and Baltimo have only known life on a train, a train with no destination. The train with no destination is the birthplace for many new constructs and they can only leave once they have become fully mechanized.

Alix and Baltimo are coming closer and closer to being subjugated to the perils of Saint Peter, the prison where mechanization is forced upon those resisting the change and comes with a mind wipe as well. Their time on the train is cut short when a mysterious stranger shows them a way off the train with no destination and into the city.

They are marveled and frightened by what they see but their sight seeing is cut short when they come into the light of the Authorities and they must flee or meet incarceration and full mechanization. Aide comes to them from unusual encounters in the form of various members of the resistance.

The Archeologists and the Authorities are both racing to find these two unique individuals who have resisted the change for so long. The Authorities seek to convert the duo while the Archeologists have a higher purpose in mind for them and see them as the key to reverting the change that has plagued them for so long.

Review:

As a longtime comic reader, I am always on the lookout for new, interesting, and different comics. I’m glad to say that Archeologists of Shadows is just that book. The art and world that Fuentes and Clarey have created is a great one that sucked me in from the beginning. It was so unique in its presentation that and I was really enthralled by it.

One of the cool things about this graphic novel is the presentation at the end which showcases a bit of how the artist went about creating these mechanized souls. They used a combination of real life models, computerized textures, and traditional art. It was really neat to see how they combined these together to create this new form of art. It is reminiscent of Dave McKean’s work and that is pretty cool to see. Having new and interesting ways of creating comic books is always good as a whole for the industry.

Probably the biggest critique of the process though is that sometimes it comes off a bit stiff as a mannequin or model can only be posed in so many ways. There were panels that didn’t sit quite right with me, but in terms of an overall product, it was very nice.

In terms of the story, I’m always a bit of a sucker for post-apocalyptic material and this is right up my alley. The religious overtones might set some away, but I was really intrigued with the set up and look forward to how they resolve the role of the gods in their plight, how the mechanization came about, and if it truly is the will of the gods.

Conclusion:

Archeologists of Shadows has a lot going for it. This is a science fiction epic that brings in old tales of big brother versus the resistance with a twist on the art that really nailed the presentation for me. I really enjoyed this comic and if you have an interest in science fiction comics, steampunk, robotics, post-apocalyptic prophecies, and classic tales of David versus Goliath. If any of those strike your fancy, then you might want to check this graphic novel out. Combine this with the fact that the first volume is available for only ninety-nine cents via digital download and this is a no-brainer.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.