- Sunder: Tome 1
- Mad Cave Studios
- Created, Written, & Illustrated by
- Colors by Mark Englert
- Letters b Buddy Beaudoin
- Edited by Christina Harrington
- Available May 06, 2025
Great things come from small beginnings!
When a mysterious book appears in the library of a young monk named Zeek, he must embark on a quest to find its rightful owner. Unbeknownst to him, another dark figure has been searching for this very book for a very long time, sending his minions across the known planets and using dark magic to find it at all costs. When this evil figure realizes the manuscript has finally resurfaced, it sets events in motion that will send Zeek on an adventure unlike anything he could have ever imagined–leading Zeek to discover his true identity and destiny.
Having read Sunder, I’ve gotta say, it’s one of the harder comics/graphic novels to categorize. On the one hand, there’s the easy “look at all the cute & fluffy animal-like characters… it’s gotta be great for kids.” On the other hand, it has some pretty intense, bordering but not quite on graphic, scenes that could drift through a young reader’s nightmares for a while. The most readily available comparison I have takes me back to seeing The Dark Crystal in the theater when I was a kid. My dad thought, “Muppets… what could possibly go wrong?” But for anyone who’s seen the movie, it’s a fact that things are happening on screen that could stick with young viewers for years.
So it is with this book, a fantastic read to be sure, with a sweet and idyllic slow-burn of a beginning that leads into great action and some horrific visuals. Pierre-Alexandre Comtois brings some gorgeous work to the page, and there are going to be some who are mislead into thinking it’s some kind of Loony Toons adventure. But think of the Skeksis draining the life from a squirming, innocent podling. Or the Judge in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, dipping that adorable cartoon sneaker into the vat of paint thinners. Those are the sort of creepy visuals that sneak in here and smack the reader when they’re not expecting it.
In all, Comtois has done some amazing work. Sunder starts slow, introducing its main cast of characters and setting up the world in which they live. As it picks up speed, letting the pace roll up into something very much reminiscent of movies like Star Wars: A New Hope, or a little more obscure “save the world” questing gems like Krull, the story builds momentum. At first, I wasn’t sure it was going to be for me, but as it went on, I found myself pulled right along with Zeek and the friends he met along the way, Mouse & Immane.
More than a collection of artwork, all engaging panels crammed full of world-building- with the finishing touches perfectly added by colorist Mark Englert, I might add- Sunder is a brilliant story full of great characters. While they have been born in a world of archetypes, and many do fit those roles, Pierre-Alexandre Comtois fills them with charm and personality beyond what he had to. Realistically, he could have made it a lot easier on himself and still get the job done, but the above and beyond he achieves here is seen, respected, and appreciated. The personalities worked into what are reasonably familiar stereotypes enhance the comfort level a reader might fall into. In fairness, after all, stereotypical character types don’t stick around long to become stereotypical unless people like them.
When it’s all said & done, Sunder was a very enjoyable read, and I’ll be looking forward to Tome 2 for the continuing adventures of Zeek and friends. And that’s the trick, right there. Every story, no matter how epic or sweeping it may be, has to have a beginning. That beginning has to draw readers into it and leave them wanting more. So if you’re wanting a fun adventure-fantasy, full of fun characters who manage to be both familiar and unique, find your way into this book. I won’t presume to speak for you, but this cynical comic reader has no regrets.
None over this book, at least.
Final Score: 11/13
