Written By: Christopher Sebela
Illustrated By: David Stoll
Colorist: Dearbhla Kelly
Lettering By: Justin Birch
Format: Digital (comiXology), Physical Print
Published By: Mad Cave Studios
Haley and Max arrive on the footsteps of Wayfair Academy, a boarding school for teens with special needs. Life has been harsh for them thus far, especially after the passing of their mother. With no real family left to care for them, they have done all they can to stay together. Haley has been deaf since birth and Max has more or less turned into her bodyguard. Over a short period of time at the school, they begin to find a new family amongst the friends they have made. However after one such night when they decide to break into a teachers office in order to get their confiscated phone back, they begin to develop a taste for crime. The group begin planning their next heist when the future of one of their friends’ education lies in the balance. They soon find out though they have stolen from the wrong person, as their ‘hobby’ now becomes the leverage this man needs to blackmail them into doing his dirty work. The plot develops even more, when the teens devise a plan to be rid of this criminal forever.
Pantomime was a six issue series that debuted from Mad Cave just last November, and has now been compiled in this single tradeback volume. The series follows a group of deaf teens as they go about pulling off some impressive robberies, confident in their skills and the fact that they would be the least suspected individuals based on their disabilities. For a while there, they were pulling off the perfect crimes. Some of the ideas were immense and almost insane, yet they still managed to pull them off. The taste for the world of crime had soon become an addiction. They used whatever they stole to benefit their futures, because going by the family they had around them – they well and truly needed the help. Each member of this teenage cartel had their own unique skill set, from cracking safes to lock picking, others were even security hackers. However it only takes one bad egg amongst them to jeopardize the entire operation – and its always who you least expect.
Pantomime was created by Christopher Sebela, an American author and journalist that has a very lengthy CV and career to date. His work has been published by many comic giants in the industry, including Image Comics, DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, IDW and more. He has written many issues for established comic series, including Harley Quinn, Ghostrider, Hellraiser and more yet again. As well as writing his own pieces of work, including the Dumbstronaut series, he is also the co-founder of the indie collective publishing imprint – Two Headed Press. Alongside this very creative story, are the illustrations of David Stoll. A freelance comic artist from Arizona, USA, whose work can be sampled over on his website here – http://stollcomics.com/ Although there isn’t much information I could find on other published works he has contributed to, I am sure he has a line of interested people just filling up his inbox with the next job offer going by the success alone of Pantomime.
This was such a thrilling series, that I am actually disappointed that it has come to its end, but it was done with elegance. It could be explored more, but they have certainly tied it off in a way that fans would still be satisfied with leaving the story there. You can currently buy each one of the 6 issue Pantomime series separately, or you can purchase the collected volume which will be available in print and digital through the link below. Also as always, do your best to buy from your local comic book store.
https://madcavestudios.com/product/pantomime-trade-paperback/
Overall: 9/10
