Today marks the release of issue four of the sci-fi space adventure comic book series, Errand Boys (Image Comics). The five-issue series follows half-brothers Jace and Tawnk who are thrust together when Tawnk is orphaned and has no other family. Elder brother Jace has gained street smarts and makes a modest living as an errand boy. Since Jace’s home also serves as his spaceship (called a bego), Tawnk gets a crash course on life when Jace accepts an easy snatch-and-grab job.
D.J. Kirkbride (Amelia Cole, The Once and Future Queen) continues to prove what a fantastic storyteller he is with Errand Boys. As mentioned in the review of issue three, Kirkbride continues to breathe life and complexity into our protagonists, Jace and Tawnk, especially as the past catches up with Jace. Without revealing spoilers, readers get to see new sides of both characters. And unlike the prior issues, there was no secondary story, because the narrative’s pacing required more room for Kirkbride to tell Jace’s story as well as position for the climatic fifth issue. It was a wise choice, resulting in a stronger tale.
Artist/colorist Nikos Koutsis (Savage Dragon, Might Man) continues to shine brilliantly with his interiors and, along with artist Mike Toris, with the issue’s cover that captures a pivotal moment from the story. From the first page in which Koutsis uses cascading panels to heighten the sense of Jace and Tawnk’s atmo(sphere) re-entry to the tense-filled chase sequence and to pixelated, disrupted memories, the artist keeps the story’s visuals engaging and fresh while pushing the plot’s momentum forward. The visuals assist in setting the necessary tone and mindset for the reader. While issue four’s tone becomes more serious, Koutsis balances by delving into pastel pinks, yellows, and blues. He also plays with white and black space with great effect. Letterer Frank Cvetknovic adds his flair with well-placed speech balloons, narrative boxes, word sounds, and incidental signage in the city nicely. Toris served as flatter while Erik Larsen provided creative consultancy.
As mentioned in past reviews for this series, fans of science fiction and intergalactic space adventures will thoroughly be amused by Kirkbride’s story and Koutsis’ visuals. Definitely seek out issues 1 – 3 before diving into issue 4. Or, add the upcoming trade paperback to your subscription list, so you don’t miss out on this entertaining series.
Creative Team: D.J. Kirkbride (writer); Nikos Koutsis (artist/colorist); Mike Toris (flatter); Frank Cvetknovic (letterer/designer); Adam P. Knave and El Anderson (editors); Nikos Koutsis and Mike Toris (cover artists); Erik Larsen (creative consultant)
Publisher: Image Comics
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