Welcome back to Manhwa Mondays, where I talk about Korean comics (a.k.a. manhwa).
Today, let's talk about the web manhwa VOID'S ENIGMATIC MANSION.
Today, let's talk about the web manhwa VOID'S ENIGMATIC MANSION.
VOID'S ENIGMATIC MANSION, a webcomic by HeeEun Kim, adapted from a series of interconnected stories by JiEun Ha to form a sort of novel, is a comic I've long been interested in, but balked at a bit due to the pricetag on the books, which are both slimmer and more expensive than manga and manhwa collections usually are, due to the series being in full color. A hearty thank you to my friend James Powell, who bought the first for me for Christmas, because I enjoyed this a lot.
The premise is fairly straightforward: the mysterious, almost never seen Mr. Void (no, that's not him on the cover, as you'd expect it to be) owns a very large mansion in a pseudo-Victorian England city, where he lives on the top floor and rents out rooms to various people throughout the rest of the building. Each story in the series follows one of those denizens, all of which seemingly involve tragedy of some sort and a fateful wish, for everyone who lives in the mansion is allowed a single wish that Mr. Void will grant. The catch is that wish will not be fulfilled in a way they expected, similar to the American television series Fantasy Island, although unlike Fantasy Island, it seems there are no happy endings.
The chapters in this are quick reads, with low numbers of panels per page and only rarely a significant amount of dialogue. The stories don't feel particularly rushed, though, fortunately - rather, they feel more like the reader is a voyeur peeking into the lowest point of someone's life before looking away in horror, or perhaps shame. It's an intriguing storytelling method, used to great effect, leaving most backstory and so forth implied, rather than explicit.
As for the art, it was mostly good, though inconsistent. Kim's line-work seems excellent, but the digitally-painted colors are hit or miss. Some are fantastic, giving the line art a lush beauty that sprawls on the page, making the pseudo-Gothic world these characters live in come to life. Other times, it is rushed, covering up line art rather than complimenting it - and it's quite noticible when it happens.
I didn't love this series, but I did like it a lot and I wish I'd given it a chance sooner. I've already ordered volumes 2-5 and I expect I'll feel the same way about those.
Bottom line? Recommended, if you're looking for something a little different than your typical comics fare.
The premise is fairly straightforward: the mysterious, almost never seen Mr. Void (no, that's not him on the cover, as you'd expect it to be) owns a very large mansion in a pseudo-Victorian England city, where he lives on the top floor and rents out rooms to various people throughout the rest of the building. Each story in the series follows one of those denizens, all of which seemingly involve tragedy of some sort and a fateful wish, for everyone who lives in the mansion is allowed a single wish that Mr. Void will grant. The catch is that wish will not be fulfilled in a way they expected, similar to the American television series Fantasy Island, although unlike Fantasy Island, it seems there are no happy endings.
The chapters in this are quick reads, with low numbers of panels per page and only rarely a significant amount of dialogue. The stories don't feel particularly rushed, though, fortunately - rather, they feel more like the reader is a voyeur peeking into the lowest point of someone's life before looking away in horror, or perhaps shame. It's an intriguing storytelling method, used to great effect, leaving most backstory and so forth implied, rather than explicit.
As for the art, it was mostly good, though inconsistent. Kim's line-work seems excellent, but the digitally-painted colors are hit or miss. Some are fantastic, giving the line art a lush beauty that sprawls on the page, making the pseudo-Gothic world these characters live in come to life. Other times, it is rushed, covering up line art rather than complimenting it - and it's quite noticible when it happens.
I didn't love this series, but I did like it a lot and I wish I'd given it a chance sooner. I've already ordered volumes 2-5 and I expect I'll feel the same way about those.
Bottom line? Recommended, if you're looking for something a little different than your typical comics fare.
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