Kritik
Erzählstil 8/10
The narrative style follows a clear structure. Thus, changes of location and time jumps are displayed through dark brown, almost gold-looking text blocks, internal monologues and background information in sepia-or parchment-colored blocks. The course of action from panel to panel can therefore be easily followed. It happens to me in some works that sometimes I don't know in which panel the story should go further and can then only recreate an order through the context. But this has been very successful here and also easily confused readers, like me, it should be easy to follow the course of action. In this comic, the reader receives a relatively large number of text content, which I found to be very interesting and not disturbing at all – quite the contrary, since I liked the writing style very much and the way of telling fits the style of the comic. The quality of the dialogues is also very good. Pretty much everything is represented here: From snappy comments from the protagonist, to small gags that sometimes also become runninggags, but also emotional moments to heated arguments.
Zeichenstil 8/10
The drawing style conveys the story very well. The details shown are enough to linger longer with an image and admire the art of drawing, but do not distract from the subject. The costumes of the characters are not too fancy but very detailed and lovingly designed and fit very well with the genre. A small point of criticism would be to be seen in the slightly too stressed female attributes. But this is meckers at a high level and probably that strikes only female readers with a negative eye. The chapter transitions are always initiated with a large-format portrait of the protagonist in different poses and costumes. The portraits are partly enclosed in richly decorated frames that fit very much with the style of the steampunk. In addition, the pages before and after the chapter transition are usually empty and decorated only with ornaments. This supports the very noble and stylish impression of the entire comic.
Geschichte 8/10
I really liked the story and I'm also mightily fixed and definitely want to know what happens next. A lot has not yet been experienced in the first volume, but since at least 4 more are still ahead of me, this is more positive than negative. The personal touch with the search for one's own past and the case itself, which it investigates, and the detective story around it is very well staged, thrillingly constructed and captivatingly told. You get a lot of action but also enough story and the comic also allows you time for quieter moments, which deal, for example, with the characters themselves and bring us closer to their backgrounds. All in all, the story shines through balance-everything in it, everything. What it may miss here and there are innovative ideas, but perhaps that is yet to come out in the follow-up. This is only the prelude and should probably lay the foundation stone first. It is not surprising that first of all it is worked with well-known elements in order to pick up the reader.
Charaktere 8/10
The protagonist can seem rather unsympathetic to some, due to her unapproachable and dismissive manner towards her fellow human beings. I was less bothered by that. Sidekick Lewis can make up for this perfectly and makes for a chuckle every now and then. Also minor characters, such as a doctor and his daughter or a circus society, provide variety and loosen up the plot. The antagonists are sufficiently mysterious and threatening with arms dealer Blackpool, his commander and his army. The motivations why Blackpool do what it does, why it is so obsessed with mechanical creatures, are not yet clearly clarified in this volume, which I think is very good. Thus, one has the hope to learn more in the subsequent reports about what gives the whole thing depth and a little unpredictability.
Erwartungen erfüllt 9/10
When I read "steampunk," I expect special aircraft such as Zeppeline or airships with bat wings and fancy mechanical devices often decorated with analog watches. In addition, a lot of gold and rather brown tones in the look. In fact, this is all the most and far present here. The expectations built up by the blurb text are also not disappointed. You actually get a wonderful steampunk detective story here with plenty of action and excitement. Here and there I might have expected a little more steampunk stylistic elements, but again, that's metering at a high level.
Fazit
Those who star on steampunk and strong women and appreciate an exciting, stirring story will be well served with Lady Mechanika. I really liked the comic and I will definitely buy the following volumes, because I am now fixed and I really want to know what is behind Lady Mechanika, her creation and her nemesis Blackpool.
The comic can be purchased directly on the page of the Splitter Publishing. A 10-page reading sample is also available there.
Wertung
Erzählstil 8
Zeichenstil 8
Geschichte 8
Charaktere 8
Erwartungen erfüllt 9
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