[Since jumping into comics crowdfunding in March, I’ve received 12 projects in paper form. Some have arrived digitally, but I’ll wait until the paper copies arrive because I’m that type of luddite. This “Year in Review” will catalog each one…and I promise to be done by New Year’s Eve!]
Rio Burton’s “Branches Entwined and Broken” is a classic fantasy adventure tale told with manga storytelling techniques over 124 manga-sized pages. I’m more of a (super-)hero story fan, but a good swords and sorcery tale is fine by me. Plus, good storytelling is good storytelling.
Villt, a Tarzan-stereotype feral child, meets up with Brynja, daughter of nobility and is taken in by her family. Subterfuge leads to Brynja’s king and father both being poisoned in a slow-moving palace coup. Brynja realizes that the castle is not safe and escapes with Villt. The adventures deepen as the couple hooks up only to have circumstances push them away from each other. Lots of action, a swig of magic and even some pirates! The story unravels a bit toward the end, leaving an ending with enough of an opening to lead to a second volume if Burton has the energy to make it happen.
The book itself – art style, layout, size, etc. – screams manga, which was interesting to me as I am not sure I’ve ever read a manga front to back (and unlike the Japanese manga, this is a front to back book). The comic book conventions as Scott McCloud would suggest are all there, just in a different manner than I’m used to.
Extras (read: stretch goals) with this book included a thank you note-card with the story’s talking dog-creature, a bookplate (that I can’t figure out how to best glue into the book) and a bookmark. A nice package all around.
All in all, a satisfying if – to me – unorthodox read. But that’s part of the fun of crowdfunding: Finding something new and giving it a whirl.
~ Prior Entries ~
Have you considered checking out my small press comics and stories?
Phoenix Productions 
12 thoughts on “The 12 (Week)Days of Comics Crowdfunding, Day 2: Branches Entwined & Broken”