Review – Monika Vol. 1: Masked Ball

We all have our vices, and we all have our secrets. Sometimes we think that the world wouldn’t understand. Sometimes we just don’t feel like it’s anyone else’s business. Enter the world of Monika from Titan Comics, where we see all that with some mystery mixed in.

The story follows Monika, an aspiring artist who is also searching for her missing sister. She soon finds herself caught up in an exotic and dangerous world, with a man she feels may be the key to her sister’s disappearance. As the story goes on, you seem to get an idea of what the big reveal will be. That’s when the story takes a dramatic turn for Monika, and ends on somewhat of a reset. I don’t want to spoil it, but you get most of the answers you were seeking.

While the art from March is striking, as it always is, that is pretty much where the positives end. This story is all over the place. Even though this is Volume 1, it feels like you’re starting at Volume 2. There are plot holes, unestablished potential danger and very odd character interactions. There were times I actually had to go back and make sure I didn’t skip any pages accidentally. You figure out the mystery pretty easily, so the payoff wasn’t really there. It’s like this book was trying too hard to be mysterious and even a bit “Eyes Wide Shut”. It’s a short trade that really should have been a bit longer. Other than the stunningly beautiful art, this one really isn’t worth it.
 

RATING: DROP / SKIP