Review - Mirror #1 (@ImageComics)

"Come. It is time."

Magic is a gift and a curse. It grants a user tremendous power, but that power doesn't come without enormous expectations as well. Plumbing the depths of one's magical powers is a thrilling journey that Image Comics takes in Mirror #1. The issue is written by Emma Rios and illustrated by Hwei Lim.

Mirror #1 follows a terrorist talking dog, an idealist mage, and a heroic lab rat on their quest for acceptance.

There's a lot going on in Mirror #1 that speaks to the deft creativity of Rios. Her tale immediately brings the reader into a world rife with drama and promptly asks the reader to give the book their undivided attention. Ivan acts as the central character of the story, but everyone around him is equally as rich in development. And while Ivan may be the main character, Zun seems to be the catalyst for many of its events, scurrying from one place to the next to accomplish a myriad of tasks. Rios does manage to mix in some intrigue throughout the script, pacing it in a way that establishes the world of Mirror prior to offering up the stakes.

The artwork bears an ethereal quality to it that's befitting of the script. The characters in Mirror #1 have an airy quality about them that makes them feel detached from one another and the setting itself. Lim doesn't allow panels to constrain the artwork; rather the same sense of vague artistic style pervades every page and gives the book a larger flow. There's a gamut of emotions on display in the characters and Lim taps into each and every one with vigor. The watercolor effect for the colors furthers the notion that the world of the Irzah colony is a truly magical place.

Mirror #1 is quite simply a beautiful book. There are some moments where the story gets a little confusing, but it's never so overwhelming that the reader feels like they're missing an important detail. Rios has a very firm grasp of the tale she wants to tell and does so quite strongly. The artwork by Lim is beautiful and airy, harkening back to some of the work by Yoshitaka Amano. Mirror #1 is a fantastic book that feels solid from start to finish.

Mirror #1 is in stores now.