Surveying webcomics, one thing you learn rather quickly– it’s not hard to find outstanding artwork. There is excellent work in every style to be found in abundance. But finding a series where quality art is married to a quality story is more rare.
My first impression of House of Stars was, holy crap! The artwork by Spanish artist Edu Marmovi (Lion Illustration) is exquisite. The rendering, the color, the attention to details, everything has a sense of grandeur about it. It manages storytelling extremely well, using color, space, pacing and well-chosen details to move the action forward at a stately pace. The design traverses the infinite canvas format effectively and with uncommon grace.
Fortunately, the story by saltacuentos is worthy of this exceptional treatment. The lead character Lily is a beautiful nineteen year old is at the cusp of her sexual awakening. She lives with her grandmother in a strange, underpopulated village where wreckage and decay abound, and where other girls have gone missing.
One day, Lily sets off for the wilderness and witnesses a green man seemingly drowning a girl. Thus she is launched into an otherworldly adventure where her courage and valor will be tested.
This is a completed series which can be enjoyed in perhaps a single sitting.
