Adora and the Distance Review:A Whirl of Emotions

Fantasy is a genre that can be full of surprises. Of course, it can be full of overdone cliches. Writer Marc Bernardin, along with artists Ariela Kristantina, Bryan Valenza and Bernardo Brice created the young adult comic “Adora and the Distance” which is more than what it seems. Adora lives in a fantasy land that is rife with magic, larger than life people and adventure. However, Adora is constantly woken up by nightmares that are attributed to a phenomena called “The Distance.”

One day she decides to leave in order to face this phenomena head on, so her guardian hires a group of adventurers to accompany her on her journey. The comic calls its plot a “hero’s journey” story. In a way, it is just that. Adora is the hero and she is helped by a group of adventurers to go someplace and along the way they face many enemies and dangers. The adventure itself is OK. The idea of pirates living underground and entire countries getting destroyed by “The Distance” is fascinating. It does veer into “Dungeons and Dragons” campaign territory though (one character is literally a bard.) There is a reason for this, and it’s also an explanation for what “The Distance” is. Without spoiling it, once the big reveal comes many reader will experience a whirl of emotions.

Some of these will be confusion, shock, thinking this idea is brilliant or even anger, causing the reader to throw the comic with furious anger. Whatever the case is, everyone reading this will have to concede that they did not see that reveal coming. One thing the comic can be praised for is the artwork. The stunning backgrounds are what stand out the most. They are so grand that you think they’re real places. The character designs, while not as grand as the backgrounds, have a charm of their own. The little details in each scene range from OK to forgettable, though with some amazing standouts (the captain’s quarters of the pirate ship for example.)

 “Adora and the Distance” may come off as a “Dungeons and Dragons” campaign, but there is a reason for that which is explained in the reveal which is something else. The fabulous artwork brings everyone thing about this comic together perfectly.