Writer: Chuck Brown, David F. Walker
Art: Sanford Greene
Colors: Rico Renzi
Lettering: Clayton Cowles
Cover: Sanford Greene
Publisher: Image Comics
Spoilers
I may be early in saying so, but I think this is going to be a hugely important series in the genre. After my first read, I jotted down the words inventive, bold, and impactful. Then, after taking in the brief but extremely valuable essays at the end, I read Bitter Root all the way through again. I usually deign to compare, but this book stood forward and out from all the others I’ve read this week, by far.
The story…the story…it is a very apt metaphor for reality, both in the past and now, while still being amazingly entertaining. That is a very difficult goal to accomplish, but Bitter Root succeeds and then some. The Harlem Renaissance is both a powerful and exciting setting, and the characters have all hooked me, nearly right away. They are full of vitality and quirks, rounded already in just a few pages apiece. I want more of them right away, but I am willing to wait in order to get the same level quality as this in the next issue.
The art…the art…it is just as impressive as the writing. Marvelously moody and incredibly expressive, I admire how the art seems to leap out of the pages. It’s an immersive experience, truly. Each page is very thoughtfully designed, with multiple creative displays of the panels. The colors add much to the brilliant line work, at once dim and vibrant in this fascinating show of talent.
You can probably tell from my raving that I enjoyed this book, but even that would be an understatement. It’s the best read of the month, with layer upon layer of goodness. I urge you to read and think deeply on the essays at the back of the book as well. They contain a wise and important message for everyone.
Overall: 10/10
Tee LaFrance Todd writes, edits, reads, explores, and creates whenever she can find the time. When she’s not engaged in some form of storytelling, you can find Tee traversing the world with her husband and her dog, making things, reading tarot cards, and generally striving to live a life beyond anything she can imagine.
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