It's really hard writing reviews for something that is outside your wheelhouse. But I always try my best to view works through a lens of someone it may already appeal to. That's the perspective I'm reading Eclipse: Era of the Beast through. It seems as if GlobalComix is following a trend set by many sites to read episodes of stories made popular through manga. Eclipse: Era of the Beast undoubtedly follows this example. Its scratchy and fast-paced art style leans heavily into what feels like a quick turnaround for weekly content much like a soap opera. That's the feeling I get from a lot of anime I read based on manga, and it comes through in this work as well.
The story takes place in a fantasy world where forces of light and shadow are in constant conflict. The first chapter follows a warrior of light as she is in the process transporting a captured agent of shadow. But this agent of shadow enjoys his imprisonment and his very presence afflicts the warrior of light during their journey.
There's a lot to be critical of in this first chapter from a production standpoint. The art style shifts back and forth repeatedly. Some of the panels are hastily drawn. And the lettering is all over the map. But there's an affinity for the way the story is put together. It truly does feel like a personalized weekly manga from someone's passion project. Too often corporately produced comics feel uniform and bland. Too “neat.” This does not have any of that, which certainly works in its favor for those looking for this type of content.
On the story front, this is just the first chapter and it was an introduction into its world and its characters. My one suggestion as the story continues on is to not get too enamored with mythology. Fantasy stories with deep mythos often drown the reader with so much backstory that it's hard to follow the current narrative. This becomes doubly true when the comics production is all over the map. While the comic itself certainly isn't for me, there's a reason manga is so popular with so many people. And those looking for a more personal and intimate production for their media will appreciate a lot of what Eclipse: Era of the Beast has to offer.
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