Review: Shadoweyes

Picture it: a futuristic city, its streets filled to the brim with crime, filth, and despair.  A teenage girl who can no longer stand to sit idly by and do nothing.  A strange transformation.  And Shadoweyes is born...


Shadoweyes began life as a webcomic (you can actually read all of what I'm about to review starting here).  I had tried reading it online before, but I found that the font used combined with my already having a hard time reading off the computer ended up being too much for me to handle.  So, I was pretty darned excited when I found out we had the first volume available right here in the library!

I find it interesting that although the main character, Scout, does gain super powers fairly quickly in the narrative, she was already in the vigilante business.  Her world, which is apparently an alternate version of our own, is the sort of grimy place that naturally breeds Batman/Judge Dredd/Punisher types.  Over crowding and a lack of resources drives people to crime.  Scout, her best friend Kyisha, and a few others already take part in a neighborhood watch, trying to improve their community, but Scout wants to do more.  However, like many of the greats, Scout should have been careful what she wished for, because once she becomes Shadoweyes, she finds she can no longer return to her original form.

I'd say what really stands out about this comic is the world building.  Dranac, the city in which the story takes place, is a unique and sometimes even amusing dystopia.  The streets aren't littered with garbage, they're positively filled with it.  People are largely apathetic to homelessness and violence.  Children go missing, and no police force or government intervention are to be found.  In fact, besides Scout's high school and a state hospital, there are no visible signs of authority.  But it isn't all bad.  In many ways, I found that Scout's world is more socially progressive than our own.  Most of the cast are non-caucasian, but at no time is racism a factor in the story.  Kyisha identifies as intersex, but this is not brought up until later in the story when it is only briefly mentioned.  It does not seem to interfere with her having a fulfilling relationship with her boyfriend Noah.  She is not discriminated against.  The world of Shadoweyes also happens to have the most fun looking card game ever, Pony Master, which looks like a mash-up of Magic: The Gathering and My Little Pony.  Squee!!

On to the meat of the matter.  I think Scout is a brilliantly complicated character.  She wants to do good and punish bad guys, but often struggles with the idea of doing violence on others.  She is an animal lover and a vegan, but at the same time has major anger issues.  She spends a large portion of the story obsessing over whether or not she would be able to kill someone if it were necessary to save someone's life.  Even with all of the chaos and vigilantism in her life, there is still plenty of room for the regular drama that comes with being a teen.  Once her transformation is a finality, she fears endangering her mother, and becomes more and more isolated from her old life.  Over time, she also becomes estranged from Kyisha, which takes a major emotional toll.  I think Campbell does a great job in writing the knee-jerk emotional responses that teens often have, and he does angst well.  Often times, angsty characters come off as whiny or egotistical.  Scout is angst done right.

OK, now for the art (click to embiggen):

The art for Shadoweyes was the biggest draw for me when picking up this book.  Although it's all in black and white, Campbell's work to me seems to be a beautiful mix of Invader Zim, anime, and Lisa Frank.  In addition to drawing great eyes, brilliant expressions, and unique fashions, he also does immaculately detailed backgrounds, again adding to immersive feel of Dranac overall.  It is not often I say this, but the art for Shadoweyes is completely unique, simultaneously pulling from everywhere and making something new.  

I am really looking forward to reading more of the series, which apparently will only be released in book form.  I give Shadoweyes an A-.  Pretty win!