Malcolm Magic #5

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Following the trail of Malcolm's shadowy doppelganger BrightEyes, Malcolm and friends find themselves in serious trouble with a gang of snakes.

What do you get if you take a pissed up bunny with a penchant to seeing visions, a group of his dysfunctional friends, a smart arse frog, a strange otherworld and a gang of sinister snakes led by a malicious psycho bunny and put them all together?

Yep. You get a kind of green and lumpy liquid substance that resembles toxic waste (trust me, I've tried it), but in the right hands it is possible to make comics brilliance out of this strange primordial soup.

Ask Robin and Lawrence Etherington, they've successfully manipulated the oozing green imagination juice and made an outstanding example of independent comic production at its best from it.

Robin is a top notch writer with a flare for creating bizarre, but dangerous situations and adventures for Malcolm et al to find themselves in. In addition, he writes in a kind of universal way that will appeal to all ages.

Imagination flows from every page and dialogue and although Malcolm Magic is quite heavy on the dialogue it is interesting enough to keep you entertained despite the amount you have to read.

As for the artwork, it is professional, confident and charismatic. I am in awe of the insane level of detail and accuracy that goes into every page.

The artwork doesn't want for style at all, it is unique and extremely professional at the same time and that is a very hard thing to achieve.

Additionally, Lawrence Etherington has an eye for creating surreal and fascinating scenes and landscapes for Malcolm and friends to live and have adventures in. In many of the pages, you'll find yourself asking "where does he get the ideas from?" as you gaze at detailed and beautifully rendered 18th century mansions, twisted telescopes and post industrial interiors.

In short, Malcolm Magic is a very slick and professional comic, which oozes character and imagination. It is a fantastic example of independent comic making at its best and I really think you should try it now. (start at www.malcolmmagic.com)

- Glenn Carter