Review: Blackbird Vol. 1
Quick Summary
Pros: The book’s magical world is fun to discover. The narrative explores the process of growing up in a way that is interesting and meaningful. The artwork is consistently positive and gives the book a sense of magic and wonder.
Cons: Some introductory aspects of this book are handled poorly. Nina is portrayed inconsistently at times.
Overall: This collection is mostly entertaining but, as the first volume in a new series, suffers from some introduction related issues. The chief highlights here are the artwork and the book’s metaphorical approach to the process of growing up. Together, these elements create a book that feels fun and creative in some places and deep and meaningful in others. Readers who enjoy young-adult journeys of discovery, especially those enhanced with magic, may find this book to their liking.
Story
At its core, Blackbird Vol. 1, by Sam Humphries, is about two things: magic and growing up. The magical portion of the narrative is exciting to learn about but is revealed in a way that occasionally causes problems. The growing up portion of the narrative is far more successful and does well all around. It leads to the development of several interesting themes and explores relationships surrounding the main character that are realistic and meaningful. In the end, this book demonstrates that this series has potential as long as it is able to iron out some of the kinks present in these introductory chapters.
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The central storyline in Blackbird Vol. 1 follows a young woman who, after years of searching, discovers a world of magic coexisting right alongside the real world. Her journey of discovery sees her sister dragged into this world and reveals that her mother has been a part of it for years. Watching these secrets unravel and knowing that there are plenty more mysteries yet to be uncovered gives the reader plenty of reason to stay invested.
However, this investment is marred by the way in which this information is divulged. Instead of slowly learning about this world and the people in it, readers receive random dumps of information at various points in time. Approaching the world in this fashion is less satisfying and not as fun to experience. If this information was given through a more slow drip that led to a major reveal, this series could have captured some of the same magic in books like Harry Potter.
Part of these problems come from issues with Nina, the comic’s main character. At times, she seems in awe of the magical world around her, of which she has no experience at all. In these moments, it is easy to share her thoughts and feelings, as the reader is in a similar position. However, at other times, Nina knows a ridiculous amount of information about this world. This is forgivable in some places, like her natural talent for magic, but is less so in others, like when she somehow knows the exact dress code for every magical community. It creates a disconnect between her and the audience that is hard to bridge.
Luckily, Blackbird Vol. 1‘s most positive elements don’t come from magic, they come from the thoughts and emotions of its characters. Nina’s journey from a world she knows to a more enhanced version of that same reality feels like an allegorical representation of how every child’s view of the world changes as they mature. This volume also hints toward the allegorical exploration of other themes through the lens of the magical world, such as the disconnect between rich and poor or the terrors of addiction.
Other wonderful emotions come in through the familial relationships that accompany Nina. Her relationship with her sister has a duality to it that seems to exist in many sibling relationships, where rivalry and failed expectations are forgiven by a deep level of love and shared experiences. Her relationship with her father comes from a place of disappointment that I’m sure many readers will be able to empathize with. And her relationship with her mother seems to mirror the average person’s discovery that their parents are not always the people who children grow up thinking they are. In general, each of these relationships and many of the themes above relate to the process of moving from adolescence to adulthood, a process this book handles rather well.
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Art
The most consistently positive element in Blackbird Vol. 1 is probably the collection’s artwork. Jen Bartel’s stylized approach to the world of Blackbird and Triona Farrell’s unique colors create a distinct visual element that immediately sets the book apart from its competition. Creatively designed characters dressed in attractive clothing further this distinction. All of this together gives the book a pleasing visual element that persists throughout the reading experience.
However, the best part about Bartel’s artwork is the way in which it injects magic into this collection. Magic is a vital part of Blackbird so making it look good is essential to the success of the series. Bartel accomplishes this through an array of wonderfully designed magical locations and artifacts, all of which look even better when contrasted against the nonmagical visuals seen in the rest of the comic. I loved watching the landscape of this book change as magic was added and found it to be one of the highlights of the collection.
The only problem with the art is the way it skirts around suspension of disbelief in order to include attractive visuals, something that can be seen in Nina’s elaborate outfit changes that seemly occur around an otherwise time sensitive narrative. However, the positives derived from this problem may outweigh the negatives, especially for readers with an interest in fashion.
Continuity
Blackbird Vol. 1 is the first volume in a brand new comic series and has no connections to previously existing comics.
The story here will continue in Blackbird Vol. 2.