Tomb Raider Volume 1: Season of the Witch

by Gail Simone

[inlibrisveritas]

This has been on my to-read list since I finished the game last year. The reboot of the franchise was completely fantastic and a ton of fun, so I was hoping to find the same feel with this comic…unfortunately it didn’t quite hit that mark but it was still a great read.

Gail Simone’s script writing is definitely strong and I enjoyed seeing what Lara was up to after her return from the island of Yamatai. It’s an action packed set of issues and plenty of twists, but my one complaint is how short this storyline was. Just when we’re getting into the thick of it, the problem is “fixed” and this story arc is over. Typically volumes are only one story arc and only contain about 6 issues, so I’m not sure the issue length was the problem…maybe it was just too much for one complete volume and needed to be set up as a part 1 and part 2. However I did think that all of the characters read perfectly in comparison to their video game personas, and I really liked that Simone went into Lara’s change in morality and how she struggles to come to terms with what happened on Yamatai. It was also pretty interesting to see just how the island affected her friends as well…though it honestly isn’t all that positive.

I also wasn’t too fond of the super simplistic art style. There were some panels that were gorgeous (mostly zoomed out photos of a wider scene), but I just craved details that were not included. The colors were not a mix of blended hues, but just one set color in each section of lines. It left a bit to be desired on that forefront.

I will be continuing this series despite the few complaints. I really love Lara and the strange storylines that she finds herself in, especially with this new series of games coming out.