Netherrealms
January 15, 2023
Comic Book Review Oberon Volume 1 The King of Lies
9
Rating
Published On:2019-08-08
Published by: Aftershock Comics
Author:Ryan Parrott
Artist:Milos Slavkovic
Colorist:Milos Slavkovic
Letterer:Charles Pritchett
An Excellent Start and a Unique Perspective
Comic book review written on January 14, 2023
In This Issue of
What Else Happens in this Comic?
Oberon seeks out young Bonnie. He believes she has an ancient power deep inside of her. That power could help Oberon return to the throne. Titania, his queen, stole the throne from her husband banishing him to Earth. Leaning on old acquaintances and his servant, Nicholas, Oberon proceeds to determine what Bonnie is to Titania. His methods are often cruel and very questionnable.
How is the Writing in ??
The Dialogue
The unique hook to Oberon is the entire story is told from his perspective. Thought balloons give us the inside details of Oberon’s thoughts and desires. His opinions of other characters color how we see the world.
Showing Versus Telling
The unique hook to Oberon is the entire story is told from his perspective. Thought balloons give us the inside details of Oberon’s thoughts and desires. His opinions of other characters color how we see the world.
The Vibe
There’s a strong Harry Potter vibe from Bonnie. The series also reminds us of Labyrinth, the 1986 movie.
Comic Art Review
Milos Slavkovic provides pencils and colors for all the issues. After you’ve absorbed the plot and the action, start looking at all the backgrounds. This is where Slavkovic really shines. There are dozens of mythical creatures hidden in each panel throughout the series. At the Immortal Masquerade, Slavkovic opens the doors to this character design library. Magical creatures great and small are part of the Immortal Masquerade.
The character designs are extremely strong in Oberon. From the fun frog knights, to Queen Titania, to the immortals at the masquerade, there’s a purpose to all the designs.
The art changes subtlety in issue #5. Looking back there’s glimpses of the change in all the issues, but all of issue 5 appears to be drawn this way. The faces look harsher. The detailing less precise. The last page with Oberon’s face closing the series should wow, but it may be the toughest drawing in all five issues.
Oberon 1 Oberon Vol 1 Cover 
Oberon Vol 1 Cover Variant 
Oberon 2 Cover 
Oberon 3 Cover 
Oberon 4 Cover 
Oberon 5 Cover
On the Cover
Oberon interior artist, Milos Slavkovic drew the covers for each of the issues.
Covers 1-4 are really well crafted. Issue 1’s cover gives us an overview of all the characters. Issue 2’s cover is all about scene setting. Issue 3 has a fun reverse shadow design. Issues 4 and 5 were a miss for me. They focus on the action. Oberon 5 in particular has some characters upside-down in a way that wasn’t visually interesting.
Marco Rudy drew the alternative cover for Oberon #1.
World Building
Locations
- San Francisco, CA
- Avalon
- Revitt
- Mother Mayie’s Home
- Endless Labyrinth
- Orphan King’s Grand Bazaar
- Immortal Masquerade
Who's Who
Oberon
Bonnie Blair
Refush Golem
Bonnie's Guardians (pretending to be parents)
Nicholas
Nevermen
Gortl
Puck
Bottom the Donkey
Sir Thornberry XVI
Gritbit
Bonnie Blair
Refush Golem
Bonnie's Guardians (pretending to be parents)
Nicholas
Nevermen
Gortl
Puck
Bottom the Donkey
Sir Thornberry XVI
Gritbit
Big Question
Did Oberon create the Nevermen as a method to regain his kingdom or are they a legimate external threat.
Fairies don't make mistakes only poor bargins.
Robin Goodfellow aka Puck
Who Will Like
Fans of BBC One’s Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell are destined to like Oberon. Shakespeare and Grim Fairy Tale fans will also like Oberon. It deals with very similar characters and situations.
I Need More Content like
You can find more Milos Slavkovic art on Artstation, Facebook and DeviantArt. Be warned. Much of it is NSFW.
Ryan Parrott has worked for many major comic publishers on some of the industry’s hottest properites including Batman, Star Trek and Power Rangers. Check out Ryan Parrott’s Instagram account.
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Should You Buy This Comic Book?
How do we get Aftershock Comics to create a second season of Oberon? The creative team built an immersive world with interesting characters. They left us with the promise of Oberon's masterplan, but without a second or third season, we'll never learn how it plays out for little Bonnie. All the issues have been published individually and as a collection. Both are worth the investment of your time and money.