Another graphic novel, this one directed to my attention by a review at, of all places, Green Man Review.
It's the autumn of 1152, and the Mouse Guard is slowly becoming aware that trouble is brewing. Since overthrowing the rule of a weasel warlord, the Guard has patrolled the forest routes between mouse towns, making sure that traders and farmers are able to travel safely. A trader has gone missing, and three of the Guard are dispatched to find him. They find his grain cart and, after defeating and disemboweling a snake lurking in the vicinity, the merchant, but they also find evidence of a plot to overthrow the Guard and subject the mice once again to a tyranny.
This one is a delight. Yes, the Guards are mice, and they look like mice, with little pink feet and beady little eyes -- no disneyfication here. The story is absorbing, with terrific actions sequences and wonderful, moody forest scenes. The remarkable thing about this is that you quite readily believe it all: it's that well done.
The drawings are just great. As you might expect, given the physiognomy of mice, you don't get a lot from facial expressions, but Petersen brings it across with body language, which is terrific. He's also done a unified color scheme, with most scenes in warm tones, umbers and siennas, golds and coppers, with just the right touches of gray and blue. He's done some things with the formal aspects of layouts that are a lot of fun and very pleasing, quite often mirroring the layouts on two-page spreads to set up a nice rhythm.
This one really is a gem -- I included it my GMR "Best of 2008" list, so you know I was impressed. It's well-conceived, beautifully executed, and refreshingly original.
From Villard Books.
You can view Chapter 1 at Amazon.com. Petersen has also set up a Mouse Guard website.
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