Mamo #1 Review

Creator: Sas Milledge / Boom! Studios The very moment you open Mamo #1, you are greeted by an absolutely stunning shot of a coastal village and a girl on her bike. There is a look of determination on her face as the clouds billow in the background and you can almost feel the wind that is sweeping the land. Mamo’s premise is simple: Jo is seeking out the Witch of Haresden and instead finds the Witch’s granddaughter, Orla. While at first, we don’t know the exact nature of witches in the lore, the story quickly interjects a couple of fantasy elements that indicate we are very much in a magical realist world. Furthermore, we get to tag alongside Jo and Orla on their journey to navigate it. Sas Milledge does such an absolutely stellar job at creating a first issue. She lets her whimsical artwork speak for itself, the dialog is salient and to the point. The conversations between Jo and Orla feel entirely natural. Any exposition that occurs is succinct and efficient. We are given ample opportunity to exist within the world. The panels are welcoming and make it easy to appreciate fine details and revel in the quiet moments. Milledge lets Mamo #1’s pages be silent and judiciously places the speech bubbles to lead the reader through the story.

The pastel-esque coloring that permeates most of the issue is welcoming and makes the moment where the darker sides of magic pop up that much more mysterious and alluring. The way that the magical creatures move through the space is ethereal, …