Ekhö is the series that bought me from the first album. Not some exceptionally original idea or unconventional plot solutions. Even the characters (although they are nice) or the graphic design (although they are at a high level). A combination of all these elements that harmonize fantastically with each other, creating a truly pleasant composition of fantasy, adventure, wit and wonderful drawings with a delicate hint of eroticism.
“Ekhö. Mirror world ”volume 8 – a fragment of a comic book board
Clear drawings with a distinct color
The graphic layer of the comic is an unchanging advantage of the series. Alessandro Barbucci’s illustrations provide a very pleasant aesthetic experience. The facial expressions and gestures of the characters are expressive, ideas for a fantastic reflection of various elements of New York still make you smile, and the fanservice does not exceed the limit of good taste. The whole is complemented by saturated colors applied by Luc Perdriset and Nolwenn Lebreton. I would love to see an artbook with the works of these three.
Consciously broken plot bouquet
The first parts of the series slowly revealed the realities of the Mirror World to both the readers and the protagonists. The confusion of the main characters was a source of comedy and made it difficult for them to solve the “number puzzle”. For seven volumes, Scotch Arleston took care to throw Fourmille and Yuri into new places and situations, thanks to which their confusion always had some plot.
The screenwriter realizes, however, that such a procedure cannot be used indefinitely. You should allow characters to learn and use experience from previous adventures, and build their relationships. Otherwise, you could fall into the same trap as the TV series whose characters are surprised every time by the almost ritually repeated unfolding of events (I’m looking at you, iZombie! ).
The action of the Manhattan Mermaid begins with a joint dinner of the two protagonists. You can immediately notice that they already have a lot of shared experiences behind them. In the dialogue, there is a direct reference to the earlier album. When it comes to “traditional” Fourmille possession, Yuri is no longer surprised at all, but reacts with weariness mixed with irritation. Later in the comic, he uses the knowledge of Ekhö and his companion’s “ailments” in a very matter-of-fact way. Perfect proof of how little it takes not to get stuck in a pattern completely.
“Ekhö. Mirror world ”volume 8 – a fragment of a comic book board
Long finish
On the other hand, it is not an album that stands out in any way from the previous ones. It is not as surprising as the first parts, it also seems to refer to reality to a lesser extent (or I did not understand some oenological flavors). Neither does it develop the depicted world or the Preshaun plot. Apparently, the creators want to pull the series a little longer and decided to leave some elements for later.
Ekhö ‘s latest volume is just like a glass of your favorite mid-range wine – satisfactory. It does not cause a feeling of satiety, but also does not surprise with anything new. I will gladly reach for another one in a while.
