Is’nana The Were-Spider Vol 2 #1
Publisher: Webway Comics
Writer: Greg Anderson-Elysée
Artist: Daryl Toh
Colorist(s): Lee Milewski & Kat Aldrich
Letters: Joshua Cozine
Cover: Walt Msonza Barna
I’ve been hearing about Is’nana The Were-Spider by Greg Anderson-Elysée for a while. It seemed to be right up my ally in things I love. Based upon the stories of African folklore and trickster god Anansi, sold! A Black protagonist, sign me up! Imagery of skin being torn off somebodies face to reveal a spider’s maw, kill it with fire! Since the books launch last year it has been racking up notoriety, yet still I have been big chicken about seeing . However, mind you, I had a Man-Spider figure as a kid. So times you have to look at your life and go, “buck up chicken butt”. When I got the chance to review the first issue of the second volume of Is’Nana I took my chance to get over my irrational fear of the main image from volume one.
Having not read the first volume of the series I was coming in blind but the way Greg crafted the narrative there was just enough to get me to follow along with the story so far. The story starts out with a mother and daughter reading a story about Anansi and how he tricks a group of hornets into a jar. This bit of set up with this family informs the story beats throughout the rest of the issue. As for the main cast Anansi, who is in the form of an actual spider, who has come back from his realm Mother Kingdom as he visits a friend. As for Is’nana, Anansi’s son, he has struck out on his own tracking down hornets creatures that inhabit the shell of people. By the end of the issue we circle back to the family from the beginning this time focusing on the father as he has come into contact with the hornets.
For a jumping on point to an established series so far this issue laid all the ground work of where this volume is going. From the forlorn thoughts of Anansi looking out for his son Is’Nana, to the father of the family looking teary eyed and even the big bad of the book familial relationships are at the center of this issue. If this arch is similar to the last volume I may just pick it up. They always say don’t judge a book by its cover. As for the art of this issue by Daryl Toh, the images are soft and pliable enough to convey these brilliant moments of emotion.
Issue 1 is out now on digital, check it out here at Peep Game Comix. You can also check out our interview with Greg Anderson-Elysée here!
Kaos Blac
