Review: The Curious Case of Alice Kingsleigh
How about a dark retelling of the Lewis Carroll classic that offers an edge of sinister beasties with a touch of the other worldly in impactful art with a subtly unique style? Tumble down the rabbit hole with The Curious Case of Alice Kingsleigh from Stu Perrins and Mikolaj Ostapiuk.
Stu Perrins is a staple favourite at CBNUK. The UK writer brought us the charismatic Chrono-Cat, Megatomic Battle Rabbit, Clockwork Inc., Brightside and the very excellent Cosmic Debris, to name but a few, with plenty more to come, this one included.
Mikolaj Ostapiuk is a Polish based freelance comic book artist, illustrator, concept artist and architect. He is the creator of a damned intriguing secret side project All The Bad Things, which I am totally judging by its cover, despite the saying, to believe it looks fecking awesome and will be well worth seeking out upon completion. Mikolaj's previous works include sci-fi short Doctor, which is available in Polish only currently, and also attention should be drawn to the amazing Warhammer 40k fan art Mikolaj creates. Super talents suitably introduced, we'll get into this one.
So, let's start with the art. Mikolaj Ostapiuk has a really cool style of unique accomplishment. There are delicate detail lines that remind me of a tame, more reserved Clark Bint. The colours, provided by Mv Toonz, complement the work really well, even enhancing it in places, particularly in the closing panels.
Mikolaj's character work is really great throughout, showcasing a strong talent, while the environments are equally as impressive. The richness of detail on offer holds an essence of labour of love that I felt really is noticeable in every panel. It's like Mikolaj really enjoys an exuberant amount of detail that captures and conveys subject matter really well without being "over busy". This level of detail and feeling of love for the art is something I really appreciate, and I think shows a quality of work to be admired. It's all around really strong art that has an excellent balance of style, substance and objectively clear depictions.
Mikolaj depicts non-human characters with the same prominent skill showcased throughout this art, with wonderfully rich creations, while his shadow work also deserves mention and credit for its strength in skilful presentation. Decidedly, delectable, detailed stuff outlined, let's turn our attention to the story.
Stu Perrins is offering a very special retelling and reimagining of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in The Curious Case of Alice Kingsleigh. Borrowing a few characters in substance only, things take a decidedly different turn from the onset. The little details build this one beautifully, whether the ominous cover or the depiction of the white rabbit. Stu strikes an interesting line between real and fantasy and the ambiguity in between. It's an interesting way to set an unsettling tone from the beginning, a tone that grows expertly as the story progresses.
By the midpoint of the story, things are set up for a reveal with a payoff that launches this one into the realms of intrigue. I enjoyed the pacing of this as breadcrumbs build to the midpoint through to a big reveal, and the yo-yo tempo of the second half works really well. The finale hits really well, ending on a strong high note. It's an interesting ending that works as a satisfying conclusion, yet also a compelling moment of intrigue in hopes of more to come. I really enjoy the twist on the original characters here and the feeling rooted in "realism" of sorts. Stu has created a very entertaining story that's well worth falling down the rabbit hole for. I really hope there's more.
Italic interruption of pleadingness (sure that's not a word), anyway, definitely get this book, it ticks so many boxes, it will make an excellent addition to your collection. Now that your bookshelf is full please consider a donation to our Ko-fi to help support us here, it would mean so much. Thanks for being here regardless.
For fans of horror, sci-fi, Lewis Carroll, adaptations of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland characters in a version that would force Disney overlords to hire Guillermo Del Toro and Ridley Scott into some unholy nexus should live action movie rights be needed to profit on, fluffy bunnies, a Queens hole, inquisitiveness and imagination in art full of beauty it could only be The Curious Case Of Alice Kingsleigh.
To get your copy, head to the big retailer here for an end of August pre-order of print and digital copies. You won't be disappointed. Also, this one is being published by the fine people of Markosia, so I'd recommend their website, which you can find here.
For more Stu Perrins, check out his BlueSky here.
For more Mikolaj Ostapiuk, check out his art here and BlueSky here.
Review: 4.8/5
