Hollywood could use a fresh infusion of intelligent writing for it’s next Lord of the Rings style epic… and maybe that is exactly what Rod Espinosa has been hiding in his work for Antarctic Press… the next epic.

Maybe Hollywood would be wise to take a page from TOKYOPOP, and open their doors wide to fresh writing talent. Fresh, NON WHINEY, NON EGOMONGERING, NON SELF ABSORBED AND SELF IMPORTANT writing from people who know for every one screenwriter there is at least a half a dozen or more people who earn less than said writers daily (and don’t complain nearly as much). You know, hard working people with sweat and blood and toil to show for their efforts (not overtly pampered whiners who march on a picket line when they should be fired enmasse to give the next generation of writers their change in the sun.

But we’re not here to talk about prima screenwriters, we’re here to talk up Rod Espinosa’s classic Neotopia.

It’s the farflung future of a millennium ahead. The world has changed, and the technology of old is only tinkered with (though forbidden). The world has come to embrace nature again, creating a new “technology” that is more akin to this balance with humans and the natural world about them. Amazing life forms inhabit this world, In this land we come to this peaceful kingdom of Mathenia (it‘s capital built on the remains of what once was a giant hydroelectric dam, complete with large water source and majestic view overlooking the tall tall drop from the top of the dam/capital building) ruled by a compassionate ruler named Nalyn… however that, like the peace that lays over the land, is a cleverly concealed lie. The true ruler is an arrogant little twit of a woman who treats her public “surrogate” like trash. Yeah. That’s so nice of her… not.

Oh, right. The peace. Apparently peace is also a lie concealing the ambitions of a scary almost alien in appearance entities who exist in a kingdom of the damned, in a land called Krossia (a kingdom where the very capital city looks like something run by the Shadows out of Babylon 5). These being seek to bring their own “peace” onto the world, a peace of a single unified world “government” “led” by these rather nasty looking things… bet that’s not going to happen without a fight (which will happen in future volumes as the battle to save Neotopia swings into full gear).

As for rescuing Nalyn? A brave set of youth (the lovable cast of heroes this adventure needs) set out to save her, before the enemy finds out they kidnapped the wrong person (and puts Nalyn’s life in jeopardy)! However her life will never be the same even if she is rescued, because the Krossian mega fleet comes after her and attacks the aerial fleet from Mathenia, killing the real princes-- what? She’s a twit? No, I did… wait, I knew that. So as the volume ends in a cliffhanger we find Nalyn quickly taking over as the new leader (still playing her role as the now deceased princess) with a dreaded task ahead as the crew of the last mega airship now under her control must flee their Krossian enemies and find a way to fight back against their rising tide of evil before it swallows the world.

But that’s next volume, now…

Let’s spin the hype of other reviews past and see how they rate.

“From the Eisner-nominated creator of “The Courageous Princess.”
(back cover)

By the way, we got a set of reviews on that title coming in the near future too, look for it!

“…high adventure at it’s best… imaginative illustrations and a clever script.”
Comic’s Corner

Clever is only the beginning. Well written and “cast” with a strong wide array of characters, the title sways from epic to heartwarming, humorous to dramatic, touching to dreadful and chilling. A wide array of emotions grip you as does the visuals, a grand scale of artistic splendor that begs for a wide screen theatrical interpretation by the best animation houses on Earth. This (and the other volumes) are like blueprints for the perfect animated trilogy to rival classics like Nasuicaa of the Valley of the Winds in it’s scope and grand presentation.

This is a sentiment agreed to by Comic Buyer’s Guide, who proclaims “…the art is simply BREATHTAKING.” which it is… though does anyone really use the word “BREATHTAKING” in that letter size WITHOUT adding an “!” at the end? So did Comic Buyer’s Guide really say BREATHTAKING (period) and not BREATHTAKING (exclamation point)… what? I’m nitpicking? Yes, yes I am.

But I agree with the artwork summation from CBG. Breathtaking, awe inspiring, grandeous in scale and vision, it is what they say it is and more. One of Espinosa’s greatest works (and I still have to see his Eisner Nominated work with Courageous Princess)!

“NEOTOPIA is going to charm just about everyone who reads it.”
“…each page is an honest delight to look at.”
ICOMICS

Can’t argue with that.

“The ARTWORK is STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL…”
Slushfactory

Uh… yeah. I see the theme. And that is probably my only criticism of the praise on the back of the book. Let’s see now… a great deal of the praise seems to be mostly on the artistic design of the book, and while the artwork is all that (and an essential blueprint for bringing Neotopia to life as a major Holiday or Summer blockbuster motion picture) it is not the full impact of the title, there is (of course) the story and characters within the story. Well, let’s face it, we all love a pretty picture or pretty things to look at (certain TV shows of a (cough cough) “questionable” reality TV status wouldn’t be on the air now if it wasn’t choke full of beautiful things (people) to drool over… even if the shows, if by the sheer merit of it’s writing alone, wouldn’t pass the muster without the pretty people). Neotopia is NOT one of those things. As pretty and mindblowing the artwork it is the series overall balance of beauty with intelligent and strong writing that makes it what it is, a perfect title worthy of your praise (and worthy of a place in your collection).

One of Mr. Espinosa’s finest works (presented in these recent reprints in full color no less, which brings an added depth to the artwork and brings out it’s beauty even more) Neotopia is the blueprint of what Hollywood should be looking for as the next great epic story that needs a large screen (animation) life on the big screen. If this doesn’t win an Academy Award then dammit I don’t know what does!

Neotopia Volume 1 gets 5 little naked golden men (distant cousin of the little naked golden men of the Academy Awards, SAG Awards, the Golden Globes, etc) out of 5