Review: MODERN FANTASY #3

MODERN FANTASY #3
Written by Rafer Roberts
Art by Kristen Gudsnuk
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: August 29, 2018

As the Final Equinox draws closer, Sage and the gang only have a small window to find the fire demon cult and snatch the amulet before something devastating befalls their city of God’s Helm in this latest installment of Modern Fantasy!

It’s both hilarious and annoying that the two people who’ve gotten Sage and her friends into this mess are the ones who are the most reluctant to do anything about it. Fentax is trying to squirrel his way out of facing any consequences even though he’s the one who got them into this mess to begin with and Lizard Wizard is lazily trying to get out of doing anything that involves him having to actually hone his craft as a magic wielder. On the one hand, the shameless laziness is so brazen that you can’t help but laugh, but dang it, Sage is doing everything in her power to make sure that an apocalypse does not befall her city and those two moochers don’t seem to understand the extent to which they could be royally screwed if the amulet actually holds giant amounts of magical power.

The credits page at the beginning is always fun. I love how there’s a bit of DND stats for each of the characters mentioned on the page, like how Darquin Silvermane is a “LVL 2 Waiter/LVL 1 Actor (aspiring)” with “Skills: Looking gorgeous +8 Acting +2” and Fentax is a “LVL 12 Thief/Heartbreaker” with “Skills: Couchsurfing +4 Couchstealing +10”. It’s cute and really fits the fantasy setting.

I love the little touches in the background, like the “Get Well Soon” skeleton in the hospital or the “Bank of Sauron” building with a red eye on top, the “NO KILLING” sign and the bard playing in the background of the training montage at the YOWC, and the “Cthulu Burger” in the mall food court. They’re fun sight gags.

I love the integration of mystical elements within the modern day setting and how they immerse themselves into the culture we know now. The “JANNA of the MOUNTAIN CLAN’S BATTLE AEROBICS: MELEE STYLE” 80s inspired workout video is fun. I love the VHS lines that show striped lighter darker coloring, how 80s her workout gear is, and how dangerous the workout is as Janna slashes one of her students with a battle axe. I do appreciate that Gudsnuk actually shows the accidental slashing in the panel, blood and all, I think it’s even funnier with Janna trying to dismiss the massive damage she accidentally gave a poor old wizard.

Overall, Modern Fantasy is a fun read. I love how it blends our present with fantastical elements and I can’t wait to see what happens next issue!

The Verdict: 9.5/10

Authors

Related posts

Top