Reviewer : Tim Byrne
Story Title : A Book in the Beginning
Writer : Grant Morrison
Penciller : Ryan Sook
Inker : Mick Gray
Colorist : Nathan Eyring
Letterer : Rob Leigh
Editor : Peter Tomasi
For all those people who criticise so-called ‘de-compressed’ storytelling, behold the Seven Soldiers mini-series and be amazed.
Grant Morrison has never been accused of lacking ideas, and these seven minis hardly seem to have enough room to contain them all.
Zatanna and Misty drive to meet Cassandra Craft, to seek her help in confronting the magic monster accidentally summoned by Zatanna in the last issue.
Unfortunately, for the role of the re-capper, that description really only covers the first couple of pages, with magical battles and gloriously obscure discussions between characters occurring at a rapid clip, with all the information only being given a moment to sink in before moving to the next panel.
One thing that leaps out at our intrepid re-capper is the quirky and wry sense of humour throughout the issue. Whether it is Cassandra’s warnings about potential damage to her shop, or the very notion of the entity summoned by Zatanna being her ‘ideal mate’, there is a pervading sense of fun present that is perfectly delightful.
The re-emergence of a secondary character near the end of the issue only promises to make the ride through the rest of this mini even more fun.
The art is absolutely gorgeous. Ryan Sook, a name I was not familiar with, succeeds in imbuing Zatanna with almost a winsome sensuality that almost leaps of the page. This, combined with his inventive camera angles and the crisp inking of Mick Gray, make this issue a visual treat to behold.
If possible, catch up with issue one, because this mini is my favourite of the Soldiers range, if only narrowly ahead of Shining Knight.
