Advance Review: ‘Oifusa’ #1 Shows Off Guillem March’s Storytelling Prowess
by Tom Smithyman
Overview
An interesting story with compelling — and sensual — artwork brings the premier of this limited series to life. While we don’t yet know exactly what this creative team of one is trying to tell us, the journey to get their starts off strongly.
Overall
9/10You can’t say that Guillem March isn’t willing to put in the work.
March, known for his illustration work on Batman and Catwoman, returns to the creator-owned world with the new miniseries Oifusa. In it, March not only writes and draws, but he also colors, letters and illustrates all the covers and variants. (As a bonus, you should have him draw on the sketch cover variant.)
That gives the creator complete control over the story. He took a similar approach with his intriguing and sobering series Karmen. For Oifusa (which means islands of snakes), March hops between two realities, both of whom feature Joan. When we first meet Joan, he is haggling and flirting with Isla, a beautiful young woman trying to sell her paintings on a tropical island. As the two banter, Joan is clearly attracted to Isla, while she plays it cool.
Realities then shift to Madrid and a different version of Joan. This time, he looks to be a little older, heavier, and sporting a goatee. Far from a beach bum, this Joan is an entrepreneur, but he still has eyes for his new assistant, Mar. (Get it — island and sea?)
Are Isla and Mar the same woman? March writes and draws them differently enough, but they are clearly connected, though it’s unclear how.
As an artist, March transports us to two very different yet still connected worlds. In one passage, we see Isla floating naked in the ocean (there’s a lot of female nudity in this book, and March promises/warns of even more in the next issue) and then cut to Mar, who has been drenched to the bone by a downpour in Madrid. The imagery is equally beautiful and erotic. March knows how to draw women’s bodies and isn’t shy about illustrating them in a variety of poses.
This first issue ends somewhat abruptly, as if March originally planned this already oversized issue to be even longer. Still, March’s artwork. We’ll take as much as we can get.
Oifusa #1 will be available in comic book stores and on digital platforms on September 16th from Image Comics.
