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Creative Team: Soo Lee (Writer), Domenico Carbone (Artist), Chiara Di Francia (Colorist), Jeff Eckleberry (Letterer), Nate Cosby (Packager & Editor)
CHEETARA Published by Dynamite Entertainment
FIRST THOUGHTS
When a publisher has a team book that has had some success, there’s a desire to expand that success with another series or miniseries. That series can be another team book, or it can be a solo character from that team book. The question is what does that particular character’s solo adventure add to the overall story that’s being told about the team and the world (or worlds) that these characters live in. Picking that first spin off book is important to the continued, and the growing, success of the franchise. CHEETARA has hit the shelves, and without question it is adding to the story and it is adding to the success.
THE STORY
This issue takes readers back to before the Thundercats needed to escape Thundera. Soo Lee takes us to a time when Cheetara was a student under the teachings of Jaga, and Lion-O was just a small child. Lee walks the reader through what life was like during this time of great prosperity of the people of Thundera and provides readers a glimpse to what the Thundercats lost when their world was destroyed. It gives readers an idea, even though limited to this small window, of what drives the team now to survive and to strengthen Lion-O to become the leader they all hoped he would be during this time.
Soo Lee does a great job throughout this issue of giving us not only a look at these early days, but a vision clearly through Cheetara’s eyes, thoughts, and feelings. This is a personal story for her, and the reader can easily see that and understand it, and even empathize with Cheetara as a character. A particularly good example of this look at her character is the opening sequence with Cheetara walking and talking with Jaga. This sequence alone is more insight to her character than any other appearance she’s made up to this issue.
THE ART
Domenico Carbone, Chiara Di Francia, and Jeff Eckleberry do a great job with the art in this issue. Carbone art style is very light and uses a minimal amount of lines to craft each character and each panel. Some artists use a lot of linework and hatching to develop their look, but Carbone’s style never loses any depth or detail. This kind of style allows Di Francia’s colors to have a lot of space and responsibility to define boundaries and depth. There are a lot of bright colors lending to the story that this is a happy and exciting time in the lives of the people in Thundera.
A great example of this team working together is the sparring scene between Cheetara and Panthro. There is a great use of linework from Carbone to show movement and energy between the two characters that doesn’t overcrowd the page with unnecessary linework. Di Francia then comes in and gives the depth and impact of the movement without overshadowing the linework. In between the characters movement, Eckleberry is able to come in with the lettering and find the right placement that keeps the dialogue moving and the reader’s eye on the fight sequence without losing what is being said.
FINAL THOUGHTS: 8
This first issue of CHEETARA is a strong start for this miniseries. The cliffhanger at the end is interesting, and is probably going to be the focus of this story. If this issue is an example for how the rest of the series will be, readers are going to have a great time.
