Prospectors’ Tribune #8 - The Sword of Souls

The Sword of Souls - Demicoeur

Requested by Bacardí  



1. Art - 6/10

I’m a sucker for bright, somewhat impressionist style lighting like what’s shown on pages 12 and 13, and the thick brushwork (even if it is digital) for the backgrounds is really pleasing aesthetically. What throws me off however is the way that some characters, like the main characters, are drawn with a standard human-like furry art style - like you took a human’s face and slapped a snout on it - while other characters are drawn in a more animal-like almost Jungle Book way, specifically the cats/lions and the horses. Also, Willow’s outfit doesn’t really look like it fits in with the era. It’s very seamless, which subconsciously makes it look out of place to me, and zippers were only invented in 1913, so it wouldn’t make sense to be on a medieval outfit. But this is not our world obviously so maybe they rushed zippers on their tech tree idk. Finally, expressiveness is a little lacking, which sometimes makes emotions feel a bit muted. I know this seems like I’m tearing into the comic, but honestly it’s great art and these are all pretty minor issues. It just doesn’t have the attention to detail or consistency that makes it really stand out.



2. Plot - 8/10

There’s a real story here, and it’s obviously the main point of the comic, which is something you don’t see often on here. There’s real thought out worldbuilding and even a prior history between the two main characters, and the dialogue doesn’t have any awkward or clunky moments. The author even spends time developing the magic system in the comic. I’d read more installments in this series just for the plot to be honest.



3. Appeal - 5/10

Although the plot and art are good, the actual porn feels out of place. There’s not a whole lot of tension built up to it and doesn’t make much sense considering the scenario they do the deed in the middle of. In fact, re-reading it, I just skipped over it to get to the rest of the comic. I’ve always thought this common semi-realistic furry art style actually actively works against appeal, but I might be talking about my own personal preference at this point. The flow of the scene is a bit awkward as well. There’s not enough emphasis on the good parts, too much emphasis on the wrong parts, the down beats last too long, and the best bit is over too quickly.