A fairy princess, a fallen angel, and a werewolf walk into a church. No, that’s not a joke; it’s a scene from this new one-shot from Image Comics, Aria: Heavenly Creatures. Every once in a while, it’s nice to have a fun one-shot to read, with no back and forth needed to decide if you are committing to an entire series, and you still get a full story. (One-shots are great for commitment phobes and those of us who have non-committal spells.) This story is brought to readers by the same creative team behind Image Comics’ The Marked, and it’s a captivating tale of faerie creatures and supernatural alike living among humans in Victorian London.

We follow Lady Kildare, a breathtakingly beautiful being and actual faerie princess living like a noblewoman in 19th-century England. Living glamorously and apparently not aging (Lucky!), she collects other supernatural friends and common folk alike. She sees something she has never seen before when she accompanies some friends to a unique underground sideshow. Now, she must seek help to save another creature.

This comic feels very ’90s fantasy in both the semi-cinematic art style and storytelling, which makes more sense when I see that this was previously published in 2000 under a different title. As it is a one-shot (at 56 pages), I didn’t get the depth and background that I crave at points, but this issue does tease the imagination. Plus, I am a sucker for a time period piece, even more so for a fantasy period piece. So, if you want some cheap fantasy fun, check out this (possibly) new-to-you issue. Get your copy at your local comic book shop!

Creative Team: Brian Holguin & Brian Haberlin (writers), Jay Anacleto (artist)
Publisher: Image Comics
Click here to purchase.