I spent the most damn damn time coming up with a clever intro for this review.
Even a month later, I’s debut Tyrant felt he was confusing over 100 margaritas. I certainly could thank creators Ee Zann and Godfarr for the work. Iranian folklore, 300 people, Birdman, and we finished it with a deep Metatextual approach to create what we felt intellectually demanding. And these days, we need it more than ever.
But, as I noticed, it proved to be just too demanding. As deep and creative as Tyrant #1 is included, there was strength and stacking that overwhelmed my brain, beyond such feats that were manageable and exciting moments. I wanted to fight an angry possum if I could smell what I cooked.
Luckily, I, Tyrant #2, pulls back and emphasizes a more strategic approach that generally makes a difference.
Variant cover by Godfarr. Courtesy of the image comic.
I, As mentioned in my review of Tyrant #1, the story itself is simple enough. Zahak, rather exposed Arab snakes, is strong because modern playwright Hafez rewrites the story of his life. (lolz, simple.) The point is that Tyrant’s story can be expressed fully directly, when the context is stacked, and many parts of it all begin to spread. However, in this second chapter, many of them leave in favor of the story of Zahak’s origins.
And boy Howdy makes some real wonders with its decline. From a storyline perspective, much of Zan’s writing shines, and his dialogue feels robust and poetic to suit the theatricality of a young prince who meets the desert “nomads” who promise to make all his dreams come true. And through the poem we get a story that feels elegantly a hit. Tyrant’s big theme (who, creator or creation creates, how does the father and son dynamic mirror mirror the mirror before questions?
It’s as if a lot of the excess noise had stopped and we can really enjoy this well-invented character. (Zahhak tackles an infinite existential hunger and his sense of duty in this completely fascinating way.) Me, Tyrant #2, shows that much of the power of this story is not so big and complicated to surprise that genius and people before they whisper to these ideas and say anything meaningful/valuable.
Courtesy of the image comic.
Godfarr’s art, on the other hand, is persuasive in its “simplification” of this story and its message. For example, Zahak crosses the desert and gets these lush, historically oriented moments of supernatural hues in conversations with nomadic people. The moment when they carry enough style and weight with them as they bring us to this core emotion of this world, increasing and expanding it with a subtle touch of magic (and fear). I have lived in this version of the 7th century for 100 years. It adds a dark, rustic counter to Zan’s supple poem, and continues to sprint through the sand with our prince.
Still, some of the inherent chaos of this story are other, equally important visual aspects where it really emerges. When I touched me, Tyrant #1, Zann, Godfarr appears to want to disarm and accuse readers. That’s how recent meta-stories are open to the whole world process, the common fare. And the problem is that things can go too far and too fast. There’s already a great solution. Letterer Amir Zan. Here, Zann succeeds in drawing some voices (Zahhak’s internal monologue along with the voice of the narrator) with positively similar lettering/bubbles. It’s not much confusing, but it’s enough to promote thematically relevant uncertainty.
This is a powerful visual encapsulation of the creator’s desire to engage directly with us, as well as the character’s own process that breaks through all these contextual layers. It’s a “this oridge is just right” approach to meta, thrustting you behind your brain without taking you out of Zahaku’s story entirely. And ah, the story of a man suffering with his own desires, his sense of destiny, and how much of his story he wants to create and deliver to others.
Courtesy of the image comic.
Unfortunately, this subtlety and subtlety doesn’t last for I, Tyrant #2 as a whole. The final eight pages return to Hafez’s struggle. He is trying to nail Zahak’s story completely. And to some extent this POV works. The narration and use of the text box is constructed and built, starting to overwhelm us as much as pushing Hafez into the edge. Then we get the first set of real interests and see what this story really thinks about the act of creation, and how dirty and painful it can be to create something and put it into the world.
But rather soon, the whole visual aspect begins to feel too quickly, ruining our unstable balance, leaving us to feel this “half” obvious gimmick of the story.
Of course, the other elements are here. Zahaku is a more attractive lead. My preferences make me feel a complicated emotional connection, which feels like a story that works as intended. And the fact that, just as much as this story section is overwhelming, it feels like the creative team somehow holds back. For example, if they went overboard and blown us up with 10,000 boxes and a larger image, I could have respected the effort. But it’s not so robust/intense, and instead feels like a half-cook misfire that gets overwhelmed in an annoying way. (Similarly, Hafez could be the writer Zann’s position, and that’s not clear enough, or a more obfuscated touch is just as troublesome.)
Courtesy of the image comic.
But, after all, it all sums up in this inevitable feeling that I, Tyrant, have some great ideas. When the truth is at the heart of this story – the beginning of Zahak – always becomes more interesting than “Hafez’s.” However, the former works with the latter service, and until the opposite is achieved, I, the tyrant, always feel that he is too overwhelming or not properly adjusted. (Also, the idea of Zahak returning to Hafez feels like it goes against the author’s own obsession, but that could be another solid oddity from the creator.)
I want to like me more than I do, but I still have this feeling that I still appreciate it for pure possibilities, not for the actual product. Issue #2 does a lot of work trying to fix it, but this Mad Cap Story adventure may already be over for some people. As for me, no matter how non-craberger this book makes me feel, I want to continue to ruffle the desert for a bit longer and find its lasting, transcendent oasis of storytelling.
“I, Tyrant” #2 makes things closer and appealing before reintroducing the insanity
Me, Tyrant #2
Here we see that “I, Tyrant” is at its best when the story is direct.
Visually, Zahhak’s bits require grit and power to ground the story perfectly.
Something subtle like lettering and narration is phenomenal to the experience of this story.
Maintaining some of the more confusing “trends” in this book is reserved for the end.
There is not yet enough to make the story shine about the book’s trends as an artistic exercise.
There is also the feeling that if the book did more, “overwhelming” might somehow be more appealing.
