Vivian’s Life Will Never Be The Same: An Advance Review Of ‘Misfortune’s Eyes’ #1

I don’t remember what grade I was in (possibly elementary school). There was an older girl who rode on the same bus as me who I thought would be cool to be friends with. I never would’ve dared say hello, so I wrote her a note instead. I don’t remember how I gave it to her. I do remember I used my blue glitter gel pen to write it but, yeah. We never became friends. I don’t think two words were even exchanged. It was like the note never happened.

I bring this anecdote up because it’s a memory I hadn’t thought about in a while (for good, cringey reason), but it’s one I was reminded of while reading the first issue of writer, Brooklynn Prince, and artist, Aliz Fernández’s, upcoming series, Misfortune’s Eyes.

In it Vivian is first introduced trying to muster up the courage to ask two girls from school if they’d like to hang out sometime. They aren’t exactly kind in return. It’s such a real moment, though. The anxiety beforehand. The effort it takes, only for it to be over so quickly and suddenly your mad at yourself for getting worked up over two people who aren’t that nice. Fernández hits all of the emotional beats in Vivian’s changing facial expressions, so that when it’s revealed that it’s her birthday as well, it’s just the cherry on top of what should be a delicious red velvet birthday cake.

Little does Vivian know but her whole life is about to change. At the strike of ten, Vivian suddenly gains the ability to read auras and a grandmother she never knew before. While most heroes reject the call to adventure at first, it doesn’t take much convincing for Vivian to agree to move to Hemlock Hallows to learn more about her powers and the family secrets her mom’s been trying to keep hidden.

It’s a concept that’s been done before with witchcraft (magical schools where young people can learn to cast spells), but in changing that setting to a town for psychic abilities Prince and Fernández open things up for a fresh take where the rules aren’t as clearly established. What does it mean to be an aura reader, for example? Vivian isn’t too sure and, so far, there doesn’t seem to be an obvious pattern to the colors she’s been seeing around people. That aura of mystery’s exciting, though, and Prince pulls off quite a few surprises in this first issue, like how the town reacts to learning Vivian’s last name or how a potential ally’s powers are first revealed.

There’s a lot of mythology to get through and sometimes it’s delivered more smoothly than others (one of Vivian’s teachers, for example, could’ve chosen a better moment to let Vivian know she used to be friends with her mom than to tell her in front of the whole class). Speaking of her mom, Vivian’s relationship with her mother is one of the most interesting, especially since it seems like they were pretty tight before Nana showed up. With that in mind, it’s a little disappointing when she doesn’t seem too conflicted about leaving her to go with a stranger (even if that stranger’s Nana).

In a way her absence is necessary because if her mom were around Vivian could go to her with all of her questions (assuming she’d answer). Misfortune’s Eyes is first and foremost Vivian’s story so it makes sense to stick with her, but Prince does make exceptions (like when readers are tipped off about another character’s ulterior motives), and it might’ve been cool to check in on Vivian’s mom from time-to-time to see how she’s coping with all of the change. Fernández is especially skilled at capturing people’s reactions (like when Vivian’s first instinct after seeing auras is to rub her eyes, because of course she would think it was only a trick of the light) and it makes the personal interactions between characters especially potent.

Misfortune’s Eyes #1 goes on sale March 20th from Sumerian Comics.