Reviewing a single issue of a comic is a tough task, as it gives me no more idea of how enjoyable the overall story will be as a single episode of a TV show might. That said, I can’t recommend this comic based on the first issue. I would never deny that Keith is a talented artist, and I think his art does a good job of establishing mood in the Conspiracy of Shadows RPG. However, in the comic book format his stark artwork doesn’t communicate as well as a comic artist must. The defining characteristic of the comic book medium is the ability for the artist to communicate with the reader as well as the writer can, but Keith sacrifices that level of communication for the sake of maintaining his signature art style. Because of this, the comic suffers.
The story sets out with a betrayal among the nobility revealing some sort of as yet undefined conspiracy. The storyline is based on the actual play of the Conspiracy of Shadows RPG, so it stands to reason that investigation and horror will remain a central theme throughout. I’d like to comment more or further explain the comic, but in such a short setup there’s not much more to say. I do the setup was a little clearer, but I expect the author intends to explain the characters and world as the comic continues.
If you are a deeply committed fan of the Conspiracy of Shadows RPG then this comic may develop an interesting sort of actual play example over time. For everyone else, however, this comic fails to compete with even average examples from the mainstream comic press.
