Thrilling Picto-Fiction #1 (REVIEW)
I’m in love with this comic, it can do NO wrong, so fair warning don’t expect any complaints in this review!
Even the CEO/Owner of Indie Volt who historically isn’t a fan of black and white comics gave Thrilling Picto-Fiction an enthusiastic nod of approval.
Much like the black and white hitchcockian films it emulates, Gold Arrow Comics’ Thrilling Picto Fiction transports readers into a immersive world of black and white pulp action and suspense! Containing two stories, (the first featuring cover girl Margo Capri) is my favorite. Margo a former actress finds herself in quite the pickle after making some poor choices in suitors, she’s “rescued’ from a tight spot but it may very well prove to be a case of “out of the frying pan and into the fire“, I’m happy to revisit in further adventures along with her skull faced partner.
Without a doubt Adan Vazquez’ tight dark lines and stylized characters immediately set Thrilling Picto-Fiction apart from other black and white pulp based titles, leaning into a Bruce Timm meets Joe Kubert-esque character design that makes me day-dream of Margo’s story being animated in such a way. The production quality of the book place it miles ahead of the rest of the pack of similar pulp aesthetic offerings I’ve read this year.
The engaging story, exciting action and gripping visuals aplenty there’s something here to love for any fan of sequential story-telling not just pulp..Marcel Bedard’s writing is a pleasure to read through and carries a presence, you instantly develop voices and incidental music in your mind when reading, this is master-craft and true treat to behold!
The art in the second story ‘The Space Crusaders’ Chapter 1 ‘The Maruader Horde Attacks, is again from Marcel Bedard, with art expertly illustrated from Giorgio “Gico” Galli.
IF I have but one gripe it’s that the second story included in the book we received is so short (still highly enjoyable make NO mistake) but I wish we’d have been treated to more of What Ever happened Margo Capri’s story, and this enchanting art…..with all the innocence of Oliver Twist I cast my hopeful gaze up at creators Bedard and Vazquez…. just a few pages more….please?
The team currently has a IndieGoGo campaign that contains Thrilling Picto-Fiction and more, running until Saturday, July 15th 2023 which you can find here: GOLD ARROW COMICS INDIEGOGO SPRING 2023
As of this writing, David Rush did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the company, team or product reviewed in this article. The opinions expressed in this review are those of the writer, subject to the Indievolt.com Publishing Guidelines.
