3 out of 5

Covers series 1

Finally, a million years after the promising second ‘Starkweather’ series, David A. Rodriguez returns with the all ages ‘Gossamyr,’ featuring painted art similar to ‘Stark’ in its coloring and somewhat static action, but Sarah Ellerton’s cartoonish figures are, obviously, much more fitting for the tone but also a better match for Rodriguez writing style, which carries a natural maturity to it – high level concepts spoken about simply, but emotional expression kept on a fairly basic level.  And, as with ‘Starkweather,’ there are some chuckles and a lot of really interesting ideas that feel well thought out, but the series never quite expands as much as you expect it to.

Jenna is trying to get into college while taking care of her autistic (assumed, I don’t recall if it’s outright stated) brother.  Dad is gone, mom is absent, and whatever time she has for not studying goes to managing Denny’s predictable but frustratingly rigid behaviors – he has to do A before B before C, always, every day and night, else the tantrums start.  Jenna has done her best but it wears one down, so issue one opens with a last bid at trying to do right while save some room for her life, entering Denny into a school for geniuses where his behavioral type can get proper responses, shelter and food provided.  Alas, this plan goes awry when Denny is coerced into solving ‘an impossible theorem,’ which opens a door to ‘Gossamyr,’ a world where math is law, is used – can be seen, physically, waving one’s hands and drawing equations in the air – for pretty much everything.  Through some flashbacks we get the gist that Gossamyr is in danger of being re-conquered by a race called The Skythe, and Denny’s solving for the theorem and opening the door only added to that danger.

Pretty high level, yeah?

Denny and Jenna and the races / inhabitants of Gossamyr are perfectly realized by Ellerton.  They have full personalities without appearing just as cliche cartoon shells, and some of the details – the clothing, Jenna’s bag – are the extras that sell us.  It makes the art easy on the eyes and rewardingly rich to study.  Alas, like a lot of painted artwork, movement becomes a bit difficult to portray, and so some of the action sequences, which have cool ideas – rock monsters, doors of flame – don’t get the best visual expression.  Rodriguez’s handling of Denny and Jenna’s relationship is pretty weighty and feels legit; the balance of exhaustion and love and frustration is apparent without over-writing it, and there’s no tricks in making Denny step up to the plate – even in moments up crisis he is limited by his need to proceed by his own rules.

The story is fascinating but ends up getting funneled down a narrow pathway for the first series, some what dissatisfyingly.  I understand it as a way to clear the path going forward, as it justifies why Jenna and Denny must stay in Gossamyr, but there are too many details front-loaded that could’ve been saved for more patient reveals without sacrificing the coolness of the world, and Rodriguez’s repeated theme of questions vs. answers (Denny pointing out that to know an answer one must know the question) gets a little tiresome and similarly falls flat along with the quick conclusion in issue 4.

I imagine this tone will continue – the scene setting seems like it’s going to be there to get it out of the way, and going forward we’ll just explore more of Gossamyr until it’s decided it’s time to go home – but ‘Finding’ is a great kid read, one that offers mature concepts in an understandable fashion but mixes in just the right dash of fantasy and humor to keep the world fresh and far away from feeling preachy.  And I’ll say it – it’s a clever way of making math sound cool.