Farlaine The Goblin tells the tale of a Goblin that is in search of a forest to call his own. He is a tree goblin and his best friend just happens to be a tree named Ehrenwort. Farlaine’s search for a forest and home of his own has set him on a journey to the ten remaining lands and in this volume he visits The Twistlands.
Much like the other volumes, this latest offering is well written and provides good, clean entertainment for all ages. You might open the book and see a cute little goblin with a pot belly and think, “Why should I read this?”, but that is the beauty of the writing. It grasps the reader and keeps your attention even when the dialogue gets a bit lengthy. Being an all games read, the lengthy speech bubbles and made up words could be confusing to a younger reader. However, it helps to tell a great story and it helps the reader understand the Twistlands and the importance of Farlaine finding his home.
The art is black and white and filled with detail. The lead character and the creatures he meets along his journey look friendly and this is great as it helps create a fun feeling for the comic. You can pick up the book and immediately tell that it is a tale made for all-ages and it does not even have to throw in bright colourful pages in order to keep your attention. The layout is crisp and easy to follow as you move from panel to panel effortlessly. The black and white is great as it leaves nothing to hide; it is not trying to capture readers with any gimmicks. It is telling a story with a simple plot and it makes sure that things are kept simple so that the title can appeal to all.
This is a great adventure title that features a loveable lead character as he faces challenges in lands unknown to him. Farlaine is the perfect mix of great writing and art; it shows the reader that comics do not need to be graphic or vile in order to entertain the reader. This title is probably the best volume yet and if the creative minds behind this title keep up the good work, the remaining lands will definitely offer some memorable adventures.
