(To clarify a question posed by Phantom, Nowhere Girl is based on several people the author knew, not the author's self)
A review of Rules Of Make Believe
by Kajamir the Giant
'ROMB' is a currently short archived comic, concerned around two girls who meet at a bus stop, and in a mutual transaction, they venture to a seedy arcade, where young people engage in a game called Gorge, a VR based Streetfighter-like simulation game. Gorge has a surprisingly large fanbase, which leads many to make bets on the matches at hand, rousing yet further frenzied excitement in the crowd. That's about as much that has gone on in general, given the comic is currently short in content, but this won't be held against the creator's work.
I found ROMB to be many positive things. Well drawn, distinct, more than adequately designed, and fairly intriguing. The style upholds like a true manga, with dashes of above average style added in. It reads right to left and carries the manga look without being generic. The art is generally defined and serious looking, with the occasional wild take. I'd prefer it didn't use any, but they're very infrequent.
I love the design of ROMB, which I consider the biggest asset, perhaps more so than the wondeful art. I never felt I had to guess about a character's gender or indentity. Everyone looks suitably distinct. The Gorge game has fantastic small details added in, such as the tape over the eyes, and there's even a quasi intermission section during the comic, laboriously explaining how the VR set up works in believable detail, while rules of the game are expressed mainly during the comic's run. There's style even in the real and VR weapons used, from the unusual multi-pronged staff of Stack, to the look of the janitor's stun mace. ROMB shows a lot of thought, and I appreciate that. It certainly keeps things interesting and gives the quality of a more inspired than normal work.
The story has a fair quantity of intrigue, background, and plenty of action. Because the content is yet low, I can't say much more about it, but I enjoyed it heartily for what it was.
In the idea of criticism, I would have liked to have seen more character development through all the action, but perhaps there's designated time for that later.
ROMB is a fairly detailed yet fun comic, and one certainly full of artistic talent. I would like to see more story content, but I don't have much of anything critical to say about ROMB. I look forward to seeing the continuation of it, and it will remain on my Favorites list.
I rate ROMB as 8 out of 10 stars. |
