Comic Review: Phoenix Requiem

The Phoenix Requiem is a completed Webcomic written and illustrated by Sarah Ellerton.

The Phoenix Requiem is a Victorian-inspired supernatural fantasy story about faith, love, death, and the things we believe in.

On a cold December night, a gentleman stumbles into the town of Esk, gunshot wounds leaving a trail of blood in the snow behind him. Despite making a full recovery at the hands of an inexperienced nurse - and deciding to make a new life for himself in the town - he is unable to escape the supernatural beings, both good and bad, that seem to follow him like shadows.

As they try to discover why, the nurse must question her beliefs and risk her own life in order to protect her family, her friends, and those that she loves.

I was first introduced to this writer/artist through her first Comic project, "Inverloch" which can be reached through Sarah Ellerton's main comic portal, HERE. I have read both of these comics all the way through and loved them both is also startign a new comic series in conjunction with another artist, which is certainly worth checking out!



Sarah is a very gifted artist, and One thing I love about her work is the detail. I think she may be my very favorite for backgrounds and perception work. She does quite a few interesting angles - up above, down and to the side, landscapes, up close... And always there is a distinct level of detail; that doesn't leave you wondering if you've switched locations between frames.

Also, it's fun to watch all the tiny things that develop within her style as she's crafting the comic. This next picture is comprised of 2 images - the one on the left is Anya, the main character from the first chapter, and the one on the right is a picture of her later on in the series. (I don't want to give away any details!)



The comic can get very intense, and has a fantastic air of deep myth behind the historical-fiction-esque vibe. Another thing I like? It's Victorian fiction without being Steam Punk. Now I love Steam Punk - but I like to see the era be used for something else, too.

And yes, it has it's dramatic moments - which is what gives the story such a wonderful wirhcness and depth - but like any good comic, it has those moments to significantly lighten the mood.



ENJOY!

Oru