Pumpkinface - Origins was an absolute delight to read. Helmed by writer Graeme Buchan and company, including Antonio Brandao, Jessica Jimerson and Anthony Cuizon, it weaves a twisting tale of fates between the two main characters, Pumpkinface and Bunny.
This comic really hit it out of the park when it comes to storytelling. The back and forth story somewhat reminded me of the shifts in the Quentin Tarantino classic, Pulp Fiction. Its non-linear style sets it apart from most mainstream works. The characters play well off of each other in a manner of priorities. Everyone has an agenda. The strings of each form an interweaving latticework of fictional greatness.
Speaking of character interactions, this crew did it well. The dialogue is well written and executed. But, that's not the highlight of the interactions. It has often been said that the greater portion of communication is actually non-verbal. There were many panels in there that did not contain a single word of dialogue. Yet, the actions, facial expressions, and body language said all that needed to be said. They conveyed both the progression of the story and reactions of the characters to a T.
It really warms my heart to see such up and coming comic book crews turn out such work. Sure, the big boys such as DC and Marvel will pretty much always be the big boys. But, this title proves that the little guys (and gals) can produce work that is just as satisfying.
The design of the characters was also well done. The look of them fit right in with the time period pieces. But, design is so much more than just costumes and such. The characters look like real people. Well, of course they do. Superman looks very real, like a real person. But, is he really that relatable? Not really. I don't know many people that would blend in with him on the street. These characters do. Not much suspension of disbelief is required here. For that, I applaud the team.
Overall it was one hell of a ride. I fully recommend this title and look forward to more in the future. We really need to do more in supporting the small companies like this. Without them, we really won't have a whole lot in the way of innovation and new characters. The stories will get old. The characters will get stale. But these fresh ideas will keep the medium going far into the future!