Review: Pixie Volume 1

Japan isn’t the only place American companies can license comics from.  Tokyopop, in an attempt to expand their offerings has picked up some titles from France, and this is one of them.  A full color fantasy, it’s full of action and adventure as Pixie, a petty thief takes on more than he can chew when he kidnaps Ael, the young Prince of Daimoon, who’s mysterious power takes Pixie and some friends made along the way on a wild ride.

Review: Pixie Volume 1
Story by Mathieu Mariolle; Art by Aurore
Age Rating: Teen (13+)
Tokyopop, February 2009, ISBN: 978-1-4278-1471-5
108 pgs, $12.99

Pixie starts out as a typical fantasy-action story, with anti-hero Pixie, so called because of his ears, kidnapping a boy for his bracelet.  The world they live in, Daimoon, is a medival setting, with stories of other worlds considered to be fairytales.  The twist comes when Ael and Pixie are trying to escape, Ael falls unconscious and transports them to the world of Somnanbulia, where darkness rules, and zombies and other monsters roam.  There, they meet Elvynn, a warrior-magic user from the land of Sierra, and Balor the Lycanthrope.  Another jump lands them in Sierra, where in order to find a way to control Ael’s powers they must journey into the forest to find an ancient race known as Pixies.

While the world jumping through Ael’s dreams is an interesting twist, it isn’t enough to overcome the tired fantasy elements that make up the rest of the story.  The characters are your average fantasy party with the typical personalities to go with them; the glib thief, serious magic-user, practical warrior.  The story, with its many elements, is still a basic magic vs technology plot.  The evil leaders of the city in Earis want to use a machine that lets them travel to other worlds and take them over, and only this small, ragtag band can stop them.

That not to say it isn’t a good story.  It’s entertaining enough with lots of action to keep the story moving, and the exposition falling in between.  While their concepts are unoriginal, the actual characters are still engaging, and no one is really annoying.  There’s also some intrigue with Ael’s father, the King of Daimoon, who seems to have a split personality, one of which is determined to kill Ael, and the whole plot in Earis with those of Elvynn’s people who remain in the city, trying to stop the leaders and their machine.  I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t very compelling.  I’m not dying to read more, just slightly interested.

The art is well done in a manga-like style, though with none of the conventions.  It is a fantasy title, so there is quite a bit of fighting in it, with zombies, and bandits to be battled.  There is some bloodshed as well, mostly in the Earis part of the story, and people do die.

While not a great title, Pixie has everything a twee/teen would enjoy.  Action, adventure, magic, and maybe a touch of a budding romance between Pixie and Elvynn.  I don’t strongly recommend it, but if you have kids or students clamboring for more traditional fantasy, it’s still a good choice.

This review is based on a complimentary copy supplied by the publisher. All images copyright © Tokyopop.

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