Balsamus
Summary
Balsamus is a Middle Eastern fantasy-historical comic series, masterfully written and drawn by Karolyne Rocha. This epic-style series focuses on a pair of brothers — both soldiers and scoundrels — cursed with an ancient familial burden, as they lead their band of brigands across the desert in a story of redemption.
Assessment
The artwork in Balsamus is top-notch. Monochrome in the style of classic pulp fiction comics, but with a modern twist to it. The depictions of both the characters and the backgrounds have an almost mythical quality that pulls the reader into the world in an elegant fashion. The mastery and craftsmanship of the artwork is clearly evident from the cover to the very last panel.
The current story is a bit too brief to get into a deep analysis of it, but what has been released is intriguing and promises a great more to come. Reading the introductory comic is exceedingly crucial, as that sets up and explains the comic’s historical context (it takes place within the 400-year gap between the Old and New Testaments of the Bible) and the family curse the main characters carry.
The worldbuilding, specifically the family curse, is woven into the story in a fantastic way that makes it feel like an old epic. Balsamus can easily sit with the likes of Beowulf and the Epic of Gilgamesh in its aesthetic and the scope of its storytelling.
Light-o-Meter
Artwork: 7 out of 7 Little Lights
Writing: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Age-Appropriateness: Would be appropriate for most older kids (so far).
Theological Message: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Overall: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Talk
I thoroughly enjoyed the first three issues of this comic series and wish I had more content to talk about! The worldbuilding and character design are fantastic and rich, as is the history of the region and the family curse. The story didn’t have much to rope me in, but that has more to do with how limited the series is rather than the story content itself.
What I would like to go on and on about is the artwork. I absolutely loved it. The style felt like this perfect blend of old, black and white American comics fused with just enough of a Japanese/manga flare to keep it from feeling too outdated. Everything from the characters to the backgrounds to the props and accessories feels rich and well-crafted, with careful attention paid to the real-life inspiration, but plenty of room for the unique design elements.
I, for one, am incredibly excited about this series and hope more issues will come out in the future!
Wrap-up
Balsamus is a beautifully drawn, Middle Eastern historical fantasy comic series by Karolyne Rocha. With masterful art, this story of redemption in the intertestamental period of history carries the weight of a classic epic with art and character designs that feel familiar to modern readers.
Where to Enjoy
Brainy Pixel Shop: Shop: Balsamus (brainypixel.com)
I am a freelance writer and social media manager working for Brainy Pixel and reviewing items in the Brainy Pixel store. I am not being paid extra to give Brainy Pixel media a glowing review and our COO is honest enough to let me write what I really think about the story. If a piece of BP media gets a positive review, it’s because — in my opinion — it deserves it!
This review is for this specific product and this product alone. In no way, shape, or form is this review meant to be an endorsement of the private lives, individual choices, lifestyles, or behaviors of those company(ies), publisher(s), creator(s), producer(s), author(s), artist(s), etc. associated with this product. It is God's sole providence alone to judge, and we make no claim to this right. With our reviews, we're simply looking at the value and merits of this specific product alone through the content and perspective of a Christian worldview. We pray you find it helpful and useful.
