Not So Little Lies: Reviewing ‘Lawful’ #1

Those who say rules were made to be broken never had to worry about being changed gradually into a monster. Those like the young Sung and Eris do have to worry about such things, alongside typical situations surrounding growing up.

Coming of age takes on a whole new dimension in Lawful #1, the debut of a new series from Grek Pak, Diego Galindo, Irma Kniivila, and Simon Bowland.

As various different media offerings currently showcase, fantasy is an easily malleable genre. While the standard swords, castles, and dragon affairs never go out of style there are many other flavors enriching the field. It’s a genre or concept that offers a perfect foundation upon which to build anything one desires.

With this series Pak finds a way to marry together something that has a lot of our modern world sensibility but also the very time period specific fantasy seasonings. Essentially a chunk of a big city from Earth was ripped out in the 1980’s, plunked down on another fantastical planet, and cursed with a spell they’ve been living under for 75 years. That spell being the aforementioned one that gradually changes people into monsters any time they break rules.

In an interview with Newsarama, Pak noted how this is a personal story. About the semi-conscious sense he had as one of the only Asian American kids in his neighborhood and the feeling that breaking any rules or even pushing any boundaries could lead to attention and punishment.

We feel that right away in the story as main character Sung deals with the impossible standards and pressure of trying to live up to the rules at all times. Especially being the son of a Champion, a protector of the realm and its laws. While his best friend Eris is the type that has a more flexible relationship with rules, a difference that proves to be a point of contention by the time the first issue ends.

Right away the world feels fleshed out and so tangible, with characters that are energetic and thriving. A large part of that comes from how well Galindo balances the different energies needed for this story. Taking a neighborhood pulled right out of the 80s and making it meld smoothly with an alien landscape that looks like it was pulled out of any fantasy or sci-fi story. It’s not just the setting though.

Each character has a very unique look, based on whether they have ‘monstrous’ additions or not. A wide variety of animalistic and fantastical body changes, some just with minor changes and others with almost fully transformed visages. All feel so human still, pointing to the fact that their changes and their ‘sins’ do not make them less of people. Despite what the system states. Emotions are just so clear and booming on the page, really selling what the story is trying to bring to the table.

Being a story meant to mimic our own world just with some additions, the color palette Kniivila employs fits this quite well. Everything has a very neutral kind of tone, feel very grounded with the setting and spaces. Little bits of flashy vibrant colors make themselves known through the aforementioned body additions or clothing styles. This is a society that is very ‘rules’ based and structurally is meant to be non-offensive, almost boring in a sense, and Kniivila pulls from that.

A lot of grays and whites are sprinkled around, with shadows being lighter in most moments. Added and ramped up a bit around moments that are meant to evoke darker feelings.

Capturing those same elements in lettering can’t be the easiest thing to do, but some letterers make it appear to be. Bowland is one of those. I’ve come to enjoy his work across numerous books, including current fellow fantasy series The Hunger And The Dusk. Pulling all the right strings to make sure that every emotional vibe, every voice, and every sound is clear in our minds. Taking what is scripted and giving it energy, matching the artwork’s energy beat for beat. Flowing smoothly around the page, framing what is there while standing tall and strong alongside.

Lawful #1 is now available from BOOM! Studios.