Name: The Script Rebellion
Item: The Script Rebellion
Rating: 4
Author: Nisha Ward

Loved it! 😍

Beautiful and powerfully written, this is a masterwork of storytelling amidst love, grief and loss.

Synopsis

Love, loss and rebellion!

Pulled by some dark force, a hapless clerk dreams his way into a mysterious city called Rust, where builds a life, falls in love, but has that love stollen away by the brutish ruler who governs the city. In an effort to recover his bride, he must become the figurehead for a city-wide rebellion which is doomed to fail with bitter consequences.

The Script Rebellion is a compelling graphic novella set in a mythical city at the heart of a world of dreams and nightmares. The book features artwork in a Mike Mignola style (Hellboy) along with additional artwork from a selection of indie artists.

This is an interesting book, to say the least. It’s not quite a new story, but The Script Rebellion provides a beautifully grim look at the toll of empire and resistance in one. There’s a lot that can be said about it, of course, but I’m not too sure where to begin.

For one Meneghel's art is astoundingly gorgeous and reminiscent of comics like Hellboy. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I wouldn’t not put them side by side if I could. They’d fit right in with each other.

That’s not even talking about how fitting it is for the story Quaid is telling. While it is gorgeous, it’s also rough, distorted to match the way the city and its people are laid out in the conflict between the rebellion that the Calligrapher builds and the forces of the Red Queen.

This is where the story comes in. Quaid’s writing is succinct, yet it’s not brief. It paints a picture of a man who joins a cause on the promise of a love returned and the consequences of that in a tyrannical society. It speaks to grief and anger and loss, but most of all? It speaks to the power love has and the way words can infuse themselves upon the body to spark a movement.

I liked that, especially with the inclusion of the Shackled Man and the eventual twist that led to the Calligrapher’s ultimate fate. It was surprising yet inevitable, and I can’t help but to think about it even now. It definitely left me wanting more, but in a good way, given where the book ends.

Furthermore, I do think there needs to be more added to it, possibly even turning the book into a series. It’s that absorbing, Quaid and Meneghel combining words and art in this comic to create a meaningful, powerful story. It’s a must-read for me, and I think graphic novel enthusiasts will find a lot to love about this too.

Reviewed by

A lifelong reader, I've decided to share my opinions, my likes and my loves with the world. Fantasy and science fiction have long been passions of mine, but so has bringing minority voices to the forefront.

Synopsis