“Red Roots #3” – Roots Digging in the Dirt

If you managed to pick up the previous issue, you know we’re in completely unknown territory. Lorenzo De Felici places readers firmly in the shoes of the main characters, making us find things out as they do. He introduces us to this new world full of interesting characters and a war. Not just any war, but “the” war. What does this mean? Well, follow along as Shawn and I review “Red Roots #3”!

Writer/Artist: Lorenzo De Felici
Letterer: Rus Wooton

The Writing

Shawn: Lorenzo De Felici is building a great story. We finally get to see our two main characters in a new way. De Felici does a really great job through the characters of helping you not only understand the scope of what is happening, but that it’s happening in a world where there doesn’t really seem to be room for questions. It took the characters trusting their newly encountered monsters to really start to understand what was going on. It really feels like De Felici is building to something epic and I can’t wait to see where it all goes together.

Edalyn: At now three issues in, De Felici continues to leave me sat on this ride, wanting another go-around. It often feels like the more that happens, the more questions I have. What’s this war? Why are these two specifically seemingly so integral? That, though, is exactly why this story is so amazing so far. As Shawn said, this is a world where there’s no room for questions. De Felici does such a masterful job at placing us in the shoes of these characters and leaving us asking questions is simply just part of it.

The Art

Shawn: De Felici pulls double duty on this series, handling art duties as well. I really love how, despite some similarities, he crafts all these creatures as unique and distinct. The added benefit of handling both art and writing is that you know exactly what you want out of the art.

In doing so, De Felici crafts a world that is desolate enough that it feels like it matches the narrative perfectly. Jagged line work and subdued color palettes really contribute to the overall environment of the story. A character with vision problems having a blurry background in their panel is such a nice touch and a real bit of artistic creativity that reaches another level.

Edalyn: As I mentioned previously, De Felici does a wonderful job of placing us in the shoes of the characters, and that doesn’t stop with the art. From something like a blurry background to seeing the more horrifying creature designs, it allows us to feel for these characters. Some of the creature designs left me in total awe, namely the general riding in on a pegasus.

The sheer level of detail that De Felici puts into his artwork is also simply amazing to look at. During specific scenes, there’s a lot of action going on, but never once is it confusing to look at. The art managed to keep the action focused and bloody without overwhelming the reader. Something that helped keep me wrapped in the environment too was the lettering of Rus Wooton. The way he stylized the onomatopoeia made me feel like I was hearing every clang or roar in my head.

Final Thoughts

Shawn: This is a really solid issue that builds more of the world. De Felici perfectly handles both writing and art. I can’t wait to see what war means in the world and how it affects the characters.

Edalyn: Every issue continues to build off the previous in ways that I can’t expect. It seems like every time I have a question, De Felici goes, “I’ll answer it, but I’ll do it in style,” and that he does. “Red Roots” continues to be a story and world that you won’t regret getting wrapped up in.

Shawn’s Grade: 9/10
Edalyn’s Grade: 10/10
Overall Grade: 9.5/10

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Comments

Have you been reading “Red Roots”? If so, how’ve you been enjoying it? Let’s discuss it together in the comments!