CHARMED #0: BOOK OF SHADOWS
Published By: Zenescope
Written By: Paul Ruditis
Art By: Derek Baron, Dan Haberkorn, Carol Wood, Dave Hoover and David Seidman
This is the first issue in the series of comics based off of the TV show CHARMED, which is something I have zero experience with. I was always aware of CHARMED but never made any attempt to watch it as it did not appeal to me in the least. In all honesty, I feel the same way about the comics though I have come away a bit surprised at the quality they contain thus far. Not that it makes me all that interested about the show though.
This first issue, #0 at that, is sort of a prelude to the comic series but not in the way you would expect. This is not a book filled with a narrative and art filled panels. No, this is a text heavy, sporadically illustrated primer on all things CHARMED. You get character bios, information on past events/locations and a basic guide to the mythology of the series. It is very much welcome information for someone who is unfamiliar with the TV show or who has just been out of touch with it for some time. After all, reading the wealth of information in these pages is much less time consuming than sitting down and watching a few seasons of TV.
The writing here is solid, for the most part. It is informative without being dry and has a bit of humor in it as well. There are times were it becomes a bit plodding and it all seems a bit much, but it is hard to complain about having too much information especially when it is presented as well as this. The art is similar in that it entirely serves the purpose it has without being overbearing. This issue is made to look like an old book, complete with stained book pages appearing as the background of each page. There are great touches of detail like this that really make the experience immersive where it could have been rather plain and lifeless.
It is hard to not recommend this first issue of CHARMED to both fans of the TV show and newcomers alike. I never had an interest in the show when it aired but after reading this I am curious albeit not entirely sold on the premise. Regardless of how you feel about the show, there is enough quality work in these pages to recommend a purchase for those even remotely on the fence about it.
Related articles
- Zenescope: May 2011 Solicitations (graphicpolicy.com)
- Preview – Charmed Issue #8 (graphicpolicy.com)
