reflection

An admirable setup to a seemingly interesting concept, packed with compelling narration and artwork that displays a great attention to detail, Coddlesworth’s Clockwork Circus is perfect for those who love to be transported to fantastical lands and epic storylines.
Writing
Artwork

Review: CODDLESWORTH’S CLOCKWORK CIRCUS #1 Sets Up A Fantasy Adventure

You gotta love a good fantasy saga like Coddlesworth’s Clockwork Circus, hitting Kickstarter February 2nd. I’m talking about one of those meaty, sprawling epics that takes its time to delve into background and mythology. A slow burn that takes up as much real estate (if not more) for worldbuilding as it does for character development. That’s what you get in the first issue of this fantasy steampunk adventure – a solid setup for what is sure to be a grand story.

Coddlesworth’s Clockwork Circus, written by Danny Oliver, with pencils/ink by Slobodan Jovanovich, and colors by Kurt Michael Russell, is funding its first issue on Kickstarter from February 2nd through March 4th 2021.

Story

A flood of magic rushes into a steampunk world and two halflings with sorcerous powers join an eclectic troupe of circus performers in order to save the planet from destruction. The first issue sees the arrival of our halfling protagonists in a busy port city before meeting the first members of the troupe.

coddlesworths clockwork circus page

Writing

Writer Danny Oliver’s first words really help to set the tone in Coddlesworth’s Clockwork Circus. He starts the story with that classic narration in the vein of Galadriel at the beginning of The Lord of the Rings. It’s ominous and otherworldly, and even poetic. The reader gets a good setup to the story and characters. The writing helps transport you to this strange, new world of fantasy and magic. 

By the end of the issue, we don’t know too much about the protagonists, nor their intentions. But it is definitely enough to keep you intrigued and wanting to read the next issue. This first issue has clearly only scratched the surface of the world and story. Oliver is building something big and interesting here, and you should be on board for it.

Art

Artist Slobodan Jovanovich’s line work in Coddlesworth’s Clockwork Circus can be described as highly meticulous. The shipping pier has so much detail, from the cobblestone path to the people walking atop it. You can almost hear the waves crashing and the chatter amongst the patrons. And it goes on from there, as the protagonists make their way through the city, you will find more line work detail to admire.

Colorist Kurt Michael Russell offers a vibrant, warm palette that compliments the ink and pencils. The yellow-tinted backdrop makes the colors in the forefront – such as the clothing – pop tremendously.

Conclusion

An admirable setup to a seemingly interesting concept, packed with compelling narration and artwork that displays a great attention to detail, Coddlesworth’s Clockwork Circus is perfect for those who love to be transported to fantastical lands and epic storylines.

You can support Coddlesworth’s Clockwork Circus by funding its Kickstarter. Be sure to also follow Rem Alternis Productions on their website, or on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, and Patreon.

Do you have a book on Kickstarter like Coddlesworth’s Clockwork Circus or Unicorn: Vampire Hunter that you would like reviewed/promoted? Send an email to info@monkeysfightingrobots.com!

Michael Fromm
Michael Frommhttps://www.michaelefromm.com/
Michael E. Fromm is an all-around scrivener, writing screenplays (short and feature), short stories, novels, poetry, blogs, articles, and press releases. Since first learning to hold a pen, he has done little but read, watch, and write about characters and worlds of fantasy. It would be very difficult to find him without a pen in hand and an idea in mind, which is problematic for anyone wanting to have a conversation with him. Michael graduated from Rowan University, primarily focusing on improving his skills as a filmmaker and screenwriter. After said schooling, he joined an elite force of Rowan grads who also had the notion of becoming filmmakers. This group, known as Justice Productions, call on him every so often to write short films. And, until this whole writing thing pays off, Michael currently does development & marketing communication (writing, graphic & publication design, social media and website upkeep, etc.) for a web development company in Central New Jersey, where he currently resides.

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Review: CODDLESWORTH'S CLOCKWORK CIRCUS #1 Sets Up A Fantasy AdventureAn admirable setup to a seemingly interesting concept, packed with compelling narration and artwork that displays a great attention to detail, Coddlesworth’s Clockwork Circus is perfect for those who love to be transported to fantastical lands and epic storylines.