I was happy to stop by the Firetower Studios booth on my final day of SPX, where I got to speak to Jason Strutz, the creator of The ABC’s of Irrational Fears (which we covered last week) and the illustrator of The Order of Dagonet. He was also the creator of my Ben Franklin Flash poster, which has already found a place in my office.

The Order of Dagonet is really charming. It’s got English sensibilities and a great central plot, as well as stand-out artwork. Written by Jeremy Whitely, the plot takes on an almost League of Extraordinary Gentlemen vibe, but reversed. In days of old(e), knights would rise to protect the English kingdom. But now, being a knight is an honor bestowed to important men, not necessarily chivalrous or courageous ones. So what happens when Oberon, the fairy king, returns to take Britain by force? Who are the knights that get to restore the kingdom? Writers, actors, and musicians, that’s who. It’s a fantastic idea, one that this first volume spends a little time working up to. I might be impatient, but it seemed like the first volume lagged a little bit. It was a good volume, but none of the characters are really “in action,” yet–the three “Chosen” characters (a “Sean Connery” pastiche, an “Ozzy Osbourne” pastiche, and an “English writer” pastiche) have yet to actually meet in person. This isn’t to take away from the quality of the book–the storytelling is solid and at times hilarious–but the pacing is a bit slow. This might be a tactic; I want to read the next volume very badly.

The art is beyond phenomenal. Colored with what (from my amateur eyes) appears to be acryllic, the pages are absolutely stunning. The art is warm, and visually stimulating. Strutz does away with the concept of the “hard border” that is present in today’s comics. Instead, he opts for rough outlines with complimentary colors that blend the scenes together. Each character is so perfectly unique that, despite the lack of the hard border, even the most fantastical of creatures stand out from one another.

This concept excites me, and the book did not fail to live up to it. I can’t wait to see where this goes.

TL;DR: A unique concept from Firetower Studios, The Order of Dagonet does not fail to excite. Look out for it.

The Order of Dagonet is a collected edition, collecting issues 1-4 of* The Order of Dagonet. *It is written by Jeremy Whitley and drawn by Jason Strutz. Check it out online at Firetower Studios, or order it from Amazon.