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REVIEW: If It Hops #1
Book Title: If It Hops #1
Book Description: “If It Hops” is an anamorphic tale that takes place in the city of Eden. Our story begins with our main character, Agent C., taking a shower and rocking out to her favorite tunes while enjoying her day off. That comes to a screeching halt when she receives a text message saying that the Jackal has escaped. The Jackal was one of the worst of the worst. Before Agent C. helped capture him he was responsible for 26 murders in a single day.Somehow this creature that is evil personified managed to escape from death row. Since his escape the Jackal has killed two police officers that had the misfortune of investigating a break in of the building he was using as a hide out. He wasn’t exactly dainty about how he ended their lives. Now he’s tasted blood he wants more. Agent C. is the only one one the force to stop the Jackal. Will she be able to do it on her own?
Book Author: Dustin Brunell
Book Format: Paperback
Publisher - Orgnization: Ethereal Comics
Publisher Logo:
Illustrator: Blayden Hunter
- Story(3.3)
- Interior Art(4.8)
- Cover Art(4.4)
- Dialogue(3)
- Mechanics(3.4)
- Editing(3.5)
Summary
“If It Hops” #1 made it onto my radar when I saw a post about it on social media. It caught my attention enough to back the campaign and go on a curiosity voyage. The voyage doesn’t disappoint.
“If It Hops” can draw comparisons to “Zootopia” because they are both anamorphic stories that have a female law enforcement officer as the lead character. That’s where the comparison should stop. “If It Hops” has much more of an edge. We don’t spend the the entire story with a repeating theme of anyone can be anything while Judy Hops tries to prove herself. Instead we get a story about a proven veteran on the force.
The only detractor I saw in this issue was the character development of Agent C. We learned enough about the Jackal to know that he’s bad news for anyone that crosses his path. Aside from being a badass police officer and liking to blast tunes in the shower, we don’t know much about Agent C.
That’s not uncommon for the first issue of a new series. Creators have roughly 24 pages to establish a setting and hook the reader with the plot. Sometimes character development has to take a back seat. There will be plenty of time for that in future issues.
The artwork on the cover reminds me of McFarlane’s work on the cover of “Amazing Spider-Man” #301. There’s a reason we see homages to that cover. It’s timeless. The stark white background takes away any possible distractions and makes Agent C. the focus of all the attention.
I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the artwork on the interior pages. It is nothing short of spectacular. We get crisp clear lines that accentuate every detail. Facial expressions are incredible well done. The way they are colored makes everything in the book pop.
Full disclosure, there are some panels that contain nudity. If that’s something you aren’t comfortable with, or you don’t want the kids to see that’s understandable. I don’t pass judgment on where others choose to draw the line.
As a geek on a budget I believe that “If It Hops” is well worth the price of admission. We have a great foundation to what promises to be quite an exciting series. There’s action, drama, and a hint of something even bigger in store for us!
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