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Pathfinder #1 Advance Review

By Dan Horn
August 14, 2012 - 14:13

Jim Zub, creator of Image Comics' Skullkickers, is scripting a new Dynamite series, Pathfinder, based on the Paizo role playing game of the same name. The story follows a swordsman, elf, and sorceress as the trio travels about looking for trouble and adventure. In the debut issue, the party encounters ravening goblins, but these aren't just any goblins; they bear some grotesque and puzzling markings. Once the goblins are dispatched, the three compatriots seek out the help of a friend, a fellow adventurer, in determining the origins if the goblins' strange markings.

Like Skullkickers, Pathfinder is relatively lighthearted fare, characterized by a pervading sense of humor and gouts of frenetic action. Unfortunately, Pathfinder #1 doesn't read like much more than RPG fan fiction. That aforementioned sense of humor never quite finds its footing in this issue, surrendering to hackneyed character interactions and flat deliveries, and the action is muted by quite a long and uneventful build-up to a fairly rudimentary premise.There is at least one very interesting and insightful scene of introspection, however, particularly a moment where the swordsman, Valeros, is confronted about his brutish nature. His contriteness establishes an interesting character dichotomy, but one that has yet to be explored fully.

The saving grace of this book is artist Andrew Huerta, whose work harmoniously blends the aesthetics of Simon Bisley and Joe Madureira, though Huerta's work is noticeably less refined than either. Huerta attempts to tackle an issue with cramped battle sequences and a decompressed middle portion with as much grace as a fresh artist can, but certain pages work much better than others, and it quickly becomes apparent that, though Huerta is incredibly talented, he's still honing his craft. Still, Pathfinder #1 is a gorgeous book, and Huerta is sure to be an artist to keep an eye on.

There's a cool appendix, which gives character and locale stats and some back story, to the Pathfinder game included in the issue.

Rating: 6 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12