PopCultHQ received an advance review copy of RIVERS OF LONDON: Deadly Ever After from Titan Comics. Available Tuesday, January 24th, the creative team for this collection features writing from Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel & Celeste Bronfman, art from José María Beroy, inks by David Cabeza, colors by Jordi Escuin Llorach, and lettering from Jim Campbell.
Here’s PopCultHQ’s spoiler-free review of…
RIVERS OF LONDON: Deadly Ever After
Written by Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel & Celeste Bronfman
Art by José María Beroy
Inks by David Cabeza
Colors by Jordi Escuin Llorach
Letters by Jim Campbell
Cover Art by David Buisán
ISBN: 9781787738591
Softcover, Full-Cover, 112 pgs.
SRP: $17.99 (US) / £14.99 (UK)
In Shops: January 24th, 2023 (US)
THE UNMISSABLE NEXT CHAPTER IN THE BESTSELLING
RIVERS OF LONDON SERIES BY BEN AARONOVITCH!
Collects RIVERS OF LONDON: Deadly Ever After #1-4
Illustrations from a mysterious book of fairy tales drawn in the late 1800s are coming to life in the 21st Century and causing havoc. The illustrations were originally painted by a Victorian artist called Jeter Day who disappeared one night in an enchanted forest when he was spirited away by tree nymphs never to be seen again…
Now, with the enchantment accidentally broken by Olympia and Chelsea, daughters of the river goddess Mama Thames, Jeter, twisted by his time spent with the nymphs, has returned to our world bitter and resentful. It is a world he neither recognises nor likes. All he wants is his life returned to him and woe betide any man who stands in his way.
With Peter and Nightingale busy on another case, it falls to sisters Olympia and Chelsea with the help of the Foxes to stop Jeter and save the day.
PopCultHQ’s Comic Book Review:
RIVERS OF LONDON: Deadly Ever After
If you thought you knew what happened to all those fairy tales from youth, your world is about to be turned upside down! This engaging crime drama has all the spice and excitement of CSI, coupled to the magic and world-building from either Harry Potter or The Dresden Files. The artwork and script were outstanding and helped sell this reviewer on a graphic novel that I’d honestly never picked up before. Get ready to have your fairy tale world rocked!
Writing:
It is clear from the get-go that the world of Rivers of London is far more entrenched than meets the casual eye. The writing itself is spot-on and crisp as a £5 note. There are moments though where the three writers are stretching things a bit thin with connecting the darker aspects of the well-known tales via twisted magic and channeling them into gruesome realities in the modern world. Another issue is that for those who are not familiar with the other graphic novels or the original book series, jumping into this GN will be a bit of a jarring thing indeed. Be wary when cracking this book open, it might leave you with more questions than you expected.
Art:
A fabulous one-two punch on art and inks from José María Beroy and David Cabeza. José’s art style is rich in detail across the board. Doesn’t matter if it’s the way a character’s hair looks in a particular panel or one of the opening pages with everyone gathered around a campfire having a cookout, José stands and delivers on the details that make this world pop. And that pop is even louder thanks to David’s inking. He nails it on adding a darker layer to this magical, mayhem-fueled world that only adds to the awesome. A perfect example is pages where characters are either in an already scary situation, or just happen to be an environment that is meant to have less light. Top notch marks to both José and David!
Colors:
Jordi Escuin Llorach’s colors are vibrant and gorgeous! Paired with José’s art and David’s inks, the trifecta of artistic awesome is complete. Like the art, the tiny details that are given as much attention as the bigger scope of the art make it all flow together beautifully. Some of the best moments (to this comic book-loving eye) are when magic is being used. Whether it was a simple spell or something more grandiose and powerful in nature (on a Doctor Strange/Dr. Fate level), the color palette choices fed the already potent energy at play.
Letters:
The lettering from Jim Campbell…well it’s not bad, but it’s not great. Having read a wide variety of supernatural and horror-themed comics over the years (from major indie works like Hellboy to more off the beaten path fair), there was something lacking here. In past delving’s into worlds of spooky and scary, when major mojo was thrown around or monsters were having their say, the lettering FELT as impactful as the scene or character itself. Here, it was somewhat so-so. Overall Jim does a fine job as the letterer, but when the big bad finally showed up and spoke, it didn’t shake and quake so much as undersell the moment.
Overall Assessment:
On the whole, RIVERS OF LONDON: Deadly Ever After was a fun read. Characters were likeable, the artwork, inking, and colors were fabulous and fun. But going into this book blind with no context as to the previous works and the less than stellar lettering where it needed to be downright dynamite…it left a somewhat sad after-taste in the metaphoric mouth of this reviewer. Go pick up a copy and delve into this deadly world, but also make sure you do your homework first.
PopCultHQ’s Rating:
3 out of 5 Stars
Publisher Titan Comics
Titan Comics offers astounding creator-owned comics and graphic novels from new and world-renowned talent, alongside the world’s greatest licensed properties and classic graphic novels remastered for brand-new audiences. Titan is one of the most successful independent publishing operations in the US, with a recent six-week run at #1 in the New York Times bestseller list.
