Plume: a supernatural Western webcomic

And now another thrilling installment of my webcomic reviews!  Caution, there be spoilers here, best if you read the comic archive first…

I’ve always had a soft spot for Westerns, but I’ve also always had a special place for fantasy and science fiction stories.  So, when I happen upon another web comic that turns out to be a Western with elements of fantasy, and has a cute, spunky girl as the main character to boot, well I’m sold!  “Plume” is the name of this comic, which is named for a quote from the main character’s father: “Revenge is like a plume of black smoke…”  The artist/creator, K. Lynn Smith, has a very cinematic eye and can create both beautiful action and still images for the comic.  Her characters are visually distinctive, and she captures emotions both subtle and manic, even using a limited palette of colors.  She has a special knack for timing, which she puts to good use in small humorous sequences.

According to the synopsis on the sidebar, the main character is named “Vesper Grey,” and she’s on a quest to avenge her father, an archaeologist who made discoveries that she is bound to recover.  Details of why she’s avenging him aren’t revealed yet, but  it’s obvious that she is highly motivated, and doesn’t let much get in her way.  She was devoted to her father, and according to the  most recent page, she accompanied him on his travels Out West.  We’ll have to keep reading to see what happened to send her on her quest.  She seems to be competent enough to handle whatever comes her way, though.  For me, there’s just something about a cute girl that kicks butt and forgets to take names!  It’s even better when she has that playful sense of humor, and doesn’t take herself so seriously.  I mean, who wouldn’t treat a precious ancient relic that gives you god-like speed this way?

She is accompanied and protected by a supernatural entity, “Corrick,” who is the soul of a man bound into… well, discover that for yourself, suffice it to say he’s her guardian, even if he takes his job a bit too seriously at times.  Their relationship doesn’t look much deeper than devoted servant and trusting dependent, but there are hints that there is friendship there, too.  Given the circumstances of their relationship, it’s apparent that his devotion isn’t strictly based on the conditions placed on him, he seems to genuinely like both Vesper and her father.

The comic so far covers two chapters of the story, and will soon (hopefully very soon!) begin chapter three, in the earlier times when Vesper and Corrick accompany her father Out West.  As always, I highly recommend reading the whole archive, because the story is even better read at one sitting.  Unfortunately, once you’ve finished the archive, it makes the wait for the next page almost unbearable!

This one is well worth it, though, and I hope Ms. Smith gets to grace us with her tales of Vesper and Corrick for a good, long time!