Quests Aside #1 – Brian Schirmer, Elena Gogou, Rebecca Naulty, Tim Daniel and Andworld Design
Coming this April from Vault is Quests Aside, a new miniseries about a retired adventurer who’s past comes to catch up with him! Barrow is a former legendary adventurer who has progressed to almost mythical status for the next generation of heroes and heroines. By making it out of the dangerous game of travelling – and into the almost as dangerous game of tavern-ing!
Grab a drink!
The eponymous Quests Aside is a tavern at the heart of both the town and the story run by the aforementioned Barrow. Along with a host of staff and customers, Barrow preparing for a BIG visit as we meet the cast in issue one, which despite being a sword-and-sourcery book is as funny as it is relatable. From a chef with an attitude problem, to a barman with a crush, the characters are instantly recognisable to anyone who has worked in hospitality, but are still fresh and new.
Written by Brian Schirmer (Fair Lady, Black Jack Ketchum), what seems to be a tale of adventurers setting off on their first quest quickly turns into something else altogether. That initial plot getting squashed does nothing to draw away from the narrative however, and there is humour and intrigue throughout. Schirmer paces this first issue brilliantly, giving each of the main cast enough page-time to introduce them, without it feeling rushed or busy. Plus there is a last page reveal that instantly made me want to read issue 2…
Pull up a chair!
Packed with puns, jokes and visual gags, the book benefits wonderfully from the art of Elena Gogou (Panel x Panel). They seem as equally at home with the big character pieces as they are at adding the little background details that give the tavern a life of its own. Equally adept at page layouts, the panel design used in Quests Aside helps the narrative flow and varies from page to page in a way that pulls you through the book. There is a bard-off that is particularly striking, and while the work of colourist Rebecca Naulty (Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures) is spot on, on this particular page it pops off to a whole new level!
The art is further enhanced by the clever lettering from Andworld Design, with quirky touches to cover any cussing from delicate eyes, and a neat trick to switch the focus and break the fourth wall. All of the visuals pull together with Schirmer’s writing to form a visual delight that doesn’t let up from the first panel.
It’s story time!
Without giving too much away, this first issue is a great introduction to a stellar cast. There are little verbal tricks from Schirmer throughout that will give a knowing smile to long term comics fans but there are plenty of laughs for new readers too.
Due to hit the racks on April 27th, this is a fun new book for anyone looking for a bit of escapism, fans of tabletop roleplaying, and any readers with a sense of humour – which should make it a pretty good all-rounder really! If you want to dip your toe into a fantasy world where the tales get bigger with every telling…
Follow the creators on Twitter for more comics goodness:
Brian Schirmer – writer
Elena Gogou – artist
Rebecca Naulty – colourist
Tim Daniel – designer
Andworld Design – letters
Vault Comics – publisher
Update – Quests Aside #1 is due in stores on May 4th, not April 27th as we said in the article! Apologies, but you have more time to pre-order it from you LCS now!
