Review: ‘The Tessellation’ Travels Various Distances
by Benjamin Hall
Overview
An observer gets the chance to view and affect alternate versions of his history. How far is too far in such a situation?
Overall
8/10(+++ Disclaimer: I have done writing and editing work for Sequart Organization at various times in the past. So writer Mike Phillips, who is editor-in-chief at Sequart, and I know each other from that. However, this review is purely happening on Comicon due to his merits, and nobody at Comicon gains from this comic’s sales. +++)
The cover by artist Hernán González and colorist Roni Setiawan is much better looking than any of the interior work. This is mainly due to how Setiawan’s application of the colors enhances the cover art more. However, it is also because there is more focus on larger details by González in comparison to the smaller interior art. Yet, one cannot say that Hernán González and colorist Javi Laparra fail at the interiors. Instead one has to look at how much more consistent their interior work is in comparison to a standard comic book. Without their heavier than normal attention to even the smallest details this experimental narrative could fail. Also Laparra has to use a palette that feels broader in range versus Setiawan’s palette.
Writer Mike Phillips provides subtle and vast differences to what is arguably the same character. Phillips also leaves the story at a nice twist ending that leaves room open for questions. Yet the ending also feels like a legitimate place to stop this story. Therefore even if there is a continuation to the overall narrative this end point works for this issue’s leads. As for the sizing of the dialogue letterers Julian Darius and Steve Legge could go bigger. Nevertheless they keep it at a size people can clearly see, and thus, help enhance Phillips’ part of the characterization.
The pin-up features writing by Phillips and Darius. While the references are very minimal they still suggest a narrative. Though the majority of this narrative will exist only as individual head canons. In comparison to the main story Hernán González does not get to be original with the design for this pin-up. Laparra also does not truly get to choose a palette other than one that works for what the pin-up homages. However, González along with Laparra respectively still do great work on this singular visual.
The Tessellation #1 (2021) comes out on kindle and DriveThru comics on Wednesday Aug 25th, 2021.
