"Mouse Guard: Fall 1152" Review!

This year, I had the opportunity to meet and chat with David Petersen, creator of the "Mouse Guard" series. He's a charming, witty, and opinionated guy with lots of talent! I'd already bought the PVC figures of the mice at San Diego Comic-Con, so I figured I should read the comics. :) Tonight's review is my determination to do just that. I'm starting out with "Mouse Guard:Fall 1152"! 

The "Mouse Guard" series follows the lives and adventures of a group of little rodents. Their purpose? Toprotect their kingdom and the citizens within. Their first mission, in the first issue, is to find a missing grain farmer. He disappears suddenly without a trace. The group encounters a snake that tries to make a quick snack of one of the friends. Upon slicing open the snake, the group finds the grain farmer. It's exciting, it's high-action, it's ADORABLE. I wrote and presented a paper at San Diego Comic-Con over the use of animals to desensitize a subject matter. "Mouse Guard" is one example of this. If it had been a human that'd been sliced out of the gut of a snake, it might be a little more disturbing (might, heh...). "Mouse Guard" is more than just a story. It's got an epic plot. The Mouse Guard isn't just a group of heroic do-gooders. They're the light in a darkened world. The entire kingdom is relying on them to suppress an odd, mysterious army of mice.  Through the entire volume, the plot isn't the only thing that develops. Although only mice, their personalities definitely aren't static. 

You NEED to read this, but I'll fill you in a little. :) 

Creativity of Writing: 5/5 There's been stories about animal heroes, yes. There's been stories about an uprising against a kingdom, yes. Never have I ever seen the two combined in such a way. With "Mouse Guard" the plot and happenings are much more complicated and intricate than the typical animal-saves-the-world. It isn't a one-shot thing. It progresses you in steps towards the finale. It's worth waiting for, unlike others. I guess what I'm trying to get at is "Mouse Guard" isn't an "Awww...look at the mousey with a sword" type of comic. It doesn't rely on the appeal of a cutesy little fuzzball. It stands alone. Even without the attraction that I feel towards animals, I feel that this comic could stand alone if humans were put in the place of the mice and the surroundings were made...well...larger. It's got so much going for it that sometimes, you forget that its main hook is how different it is.

Creativity of Art: 5/5  Honestly, this is what got me into it. The art is BEAUTIFUL. The color schemes are very distinct and reflective of the season (there's another book "Mouse Guard: Winter 1152"). "Fall 1152" is especially beautiful because of the warm color scheme. Color aside, the book is very well drawn. It's rough, but definitely polished. It's got a rustic look to it that very much supports the content of the book. It's very natural and very scritchy. I love the look of ink lines and fine detail. It's very tedious...somewhat like the nature of the mouse.

Overall Casual Read Rating: 5/5 Warning: This is NOT at all satisfying if you read it by single issues. I made the mistake of buying two singles before I got the volumes. I was left horribly empty when I finished the two in about ten minutes. They're so awesome! They don't lack any content, but they're such a fast read! It's not necessarily because it's easy, it's because you get so wrapped up in them that, before you know it, everything is over! With a volume, you don't feel as horrible when it's over. :) It's much more satisfying. It goes without saying that they're very entertaining. Anything that's over before you realize it is always worth reading, if not a little heartbreaking. Ha! You get sucked in to this one, and there's no coming out until it's over. I highly suggest this for any occasion, bored or not. It's a great read with BEAUTIFUL illustration and awesome plot. Be prepared to spend money, though. Once you get hooked, you can't get enough! 

Until next time! XOXO Ashleigh