For over a century, the Great Hunters have protected humanity from a secret world of magic and monsters that coexist alongside ours. But recently, something broke through, and now rookie hunter Henry Blackheart is our only hope. Brought to life by Curt Pires (Indigo Children) and Luca Casalanguida (James Bond), Lost Fantasy #1 kicks off a thrilling new series combining the feel of East Of West and Something is Killing the Children. What horrors will Henry Blackheart face now that the barrier is broken? Let’s find out!
We’re thrown right into the action with a bloodied girl running for her life before being hit by a car. Following this thrilling introduction, the scene cuts abruptly to Henry Blackheart (white hair, dragon neck tattoo), who gets a cryptic call (“It happened again”). Henry (who we learn is an FBI agent) magically teleports to Montana to investigate the girl’s case. What follows next is a unique merging of real-world history with essential backstory, stakes, and this world’s underlying magical elements.
In Montana, Henry clashes with skeptical local police and a conspiracy theorist deputy. Finally away from the deputy, he summons dragons from his tattoo. The creature immediately starts cursing, surprisingly doing so with a funny British accent. An action-packed fight sequence brings the issue to its peak, leading to a shocking and expertly drawn death that perfectly sets up intrigue for the next chapter.
Credit: Image Comics
Lost Fantasy #1 delivers a strong start to what promises to be an action-packed fantasy adventure. Curt Pires crafts dialogue that skillfully blends high fantasy concepts with refreshingly real-world sensibilities, incorporating modern lingo and jargon—even from the mouths of cursing, talking dragons.
You can’t help but like the main character, Henry Blackheart. He’s got that perfect world-weary, “I’m so done with this” vibe. He embodies the frustration we feel when trying to do a job while external forces complicate matters, making him highly relatable.
The comic excels at using flashbacks to effectively fill in narrative gaps. Readers aren’t left wondering about motivations or plot points for too long; questions are often posed and answered within a few panels. This technique is greatly appreciated, as it keeps the story moving and engages the reader immediately.
The world-building is also handled effectively through efficient exposition, introducing the Five Great Houses alongside the backstory of a child born with “Old Magic,” later found, adopted, and trained by one of the Houses. While conveying a wealth of information, this exposition successfully establishes the world’s tone and the characters’ positions within it clearly and understandably. The subtle blending of familiar historical echoes with the fictional history is a nice touch that further grounds the story.
The artwork presents an interesting blend of simplicity and detail. The creative team effectively utilizes varied panel grids, packing substantial narrative content onto the pages while ensuring a smooth and natural flow. Action sequences are well-executed, guiding the reader seamlessly from one moment to the next, reminiscent of watching a scene unfold cinematically.
On the downside, there was some confusion during a specific fight scene between Henry and multiple creatures. One of the opponents looks so much like his own dragons that I initially thought they were attacking him. It threw me off for a second. Making that enemy look less dragon-like would have helped smooth that action beat. But honestly, that’s a minor hiccup in an otherwise great start.
Credit: Image Comics
Mark Dale’s colors effectively complement the art, distinguishing between chaotic and clean visuals. The pink magic glyph for Henry Powers is a standout feature, providing a vivid contrast to his black and white design that makes the magic visually stand out. Letterer Mica Myers employs standard fonts but introduces striking yellow word balloons for walkie-talkie dialogue—an interesting choice. However, applying a similar technique to the dragons’ speech bubbles could have further emphasized their unique voice.
Lost Fantasy #1 delivers a strong, action-packed debut, throwing readers into a world where magic and monsters break through into ours. Despite a minor visual confusion in one fight scene, the issue impresses with its blend of grounded reality and high fantasy, engaging artwork, and skillful dialogue, promising an exciting new series.
‘Lost Fantasy’ #1 Review: A Grounded, Thrilling Start
Lost Fantasy #1 delivers a strong, action-packed debut, throwing readers into a world where magic and monsters break through into ours. Despite a minor visual confusion in one fight scene, the issue impresses with its blend of grounded reality and high fantasy, engaging artwork, and skillful dialogue, promising an exciting new series.
