Leftstar and the Strange Occurrence by Jean Fhilippe is a beautifully paced fantasy comic, following a magical world-builder named Leftstar on his adventures across a wonderfully rich world that Jean has created. The pacing is its biggest strength, complemented by a charming, often minimalistic stylization that nonetheless propels the story forward through wholesome interactions between characters.
There is a wide variety of layouts throughout the story, keeping the narrative fresh and compelling, while occasional stylistic shifts through alternating mediums draw the reader deeper into the emotions of the narrative. Some page compositions are incredibly well thought out and complex, offering moments of solace for the reader—opportunities to pause and appreciate this magical land while gaining deeper insight into the characters’ innermost thoughts and feelings.
This is a truly enjoyable story that readers are sure to fall into, offering a welcome escape from the busyness of day-to-day life. Jean Fhilippe can be found on Instagram at @noseturquoise. His work has a fantastic style that’s completely charming at capturing life in the day-to-day which makes the magical world of Leftstar, along with his other fantasy illustrations, so wonderfully escapist. There’s an energy to his mark-making that captures the magic of the story and pulls you in as a reader.
Jean Fhilippe (W/A) • Silver Sprocket, $15.99
Review by James Calderbank
