Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 (David Petersen)

I'm reviewing a comic this week, but only because I'm reading the GREATEST book right now and won't be done with it for a few more days. That and I'm starting to enjoy reviewing comic books, so deal with it.

Synopsis

Remember that movie from when you were little, The Secret of NIMH? It came from a book, actually, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Weren't those mice great? And An American Tail, and its sequel,—in my opinion one of the greatest sequels of all time—An American Tail: Fievel Goes West? Remember those? Didn't they make you respect rodents so much more, thinking that it was possible that they led these interesting lives with their own little cultures and battles? And Ralph from The Mouse and the Motorcycle. Weren't they so cool? Yeah, the mice of Mouse Guard would kick the crap out of all of them.

Life in 1152 was hard enough for people, just think about all the stuff mice would've had to deal with back then. There were no massive concrete cities for them to hide in, these mice were out in the wild with nowhere to go. Cats, snakes, weasels, the Mouse Guard was formed to protect the lives of ordinary mouse citizens from these terrors, as well as keep the peace among the different mouse communities themselves. In the first chapter three guardsmice gut a rattlesnake and discover a traitorous plot. In the second two other guardsmice fight off an attacking group of crabs from their shoreline outpost. These mice don't screw around. The main story revolves around those first three mice, Lieam, Kenzie and Saxon, trying to figure out who has turned their back on the Mouse Guard and how they're going to be able to stop them in time. It's a simple concept, but it's written and drawn incredibly well. Petersen gives us just enough backstory to know that this is an entire universe waiting to be explored, without bogging it down with superfluous detail. It isn't the most groundbreaking idea that's ever existed by any means, but it's a solid piece of writing, with beautifully detailed art to match. I'm definitely looking forward to picking up the sequel, Mouse Guard: Winter 1152, when it comes out this summer.

Rating

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152
by David Petersen

Story—7.5
Again, it isn't the most original idea ever, but Petersen executes well, and that's what really counts with this one.

Style—7
It's a medieval action comic about mice, and it's drawn well. That's basically all you need to know, you'll either like it or you won't.

General—8
The whole thing comes together nicely. It's not overly complex, but it's also not just a book for little kids. I say check it out.

Overall—7.5



Make sure you tune in next week, Genoshans, because I can tell you that the book I'll be reviewing kicks ass. You're gonna want to know about this one.