Well, well, well. This looks interesting.
Masks #1 – The Mask Without A Face (Written by Kid Toussaint, Art by Joël JURION) tells the story of several kids who somehow gain special masks, granting them unique abilities. But what made me want to share this comic are the characters themselves. Siera is a refugee living in France (This is originally a French book.). She’s smart, popular, and lives with a loving family. Unfortunately, she has a secret that could ruin her hard earned new life.
Al is an athletic guy with a cute girlfriend, but he also holds a secret that could ruin their relationship.
Hector and Jorge are two kids from Veracruz looking to make a quick buck. They get caught up with dangerous gangsters carrying even more dangerous cargo and things go downhill quickly.
This is a character driven book, and I’m loving every second of it. Oh, the drama! Yes, the masks are important, but first and foremost, this is a story about the main characters and their individual problems. The masks enter their lives, either helping or making things worse. Maybe a little of both.
What I like about reading books aimed at young people that aren’t from America is the willingness to explore themes that may be considered taboo by some in the States. Stuff like gender identity and immigration. Sure, those kinds of topics are explored in American books, but I feel like sometimes there’s a filter. As if they get touched upon, but in a heavy-handed way or not at all. In this comic, the kids’ lives feel real. Again, it’s the characters that make this book great.
The art is good too. Each character has their own look and the backgrounds are nice. My only complaint is it can sometimes be hard to tell who’s talking. I’m not used to these kinds of word balloons, so maybe that’s part of it. Other than that, I’m good.
It’s been a while since I’ve been so excited about a comic. You like character driven stories with an added touch of magic? Give this a try.
Mammoth Base Opera Castle 