Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Writer: Paul Tobin
Artwork: Carlos Javier Olivares
Colours: Sara Colella
Lettering: Taylor Esposito
Release Date: 13th November 2024

---

Another week, another fascinating new creator-owned series from the fine folks at Mad Cave Studios. This week we have String from Paul Tobin and Carlos Javier Olivares, which introduces us to Yoon-Sook Namgung, a young Korean-American woman with the unusual ability to see two types of “strings” connecting various people. The first type of string is blue and links sexual partners, with different levels of brightness and solidity denoting frequency and intensity of feeling. The other is black, and connects murderers and their victims. Pretty cool, right?

This gift puts her in an interesting position when it comes to solving crimes (and gain a little too much information about people’s relationships), but to complicate matters she also gets occasional flashes of strings that are yet to have happened – which makes it all the more worrying when she notices a black string connected to her. Is she going to kill or be killed? And what can she do to stop it happening?

I’ve been a huge fan of Paul Tobin’s work since the likes of Bandette and Colder, and I’m absolutely loving the premise of this new series. Yoon-Sook is an interesting and likeable protagonist, and this first issue does a solid job of introducing us to her world, showcasing her gifts in action, and showing us some of her life working alongside the Seattle Police Department and meeting her new ‘partner’ Luke Mayfield. The dynamic between Namgung and Mayfield is amusing and entertaining, and there’s a nice bit of action as they find themselves hot on the trail of a black string leading from the SPD morgue to the victim’s potential killer.

For a series which hinges so heavily on the visual side of things, the artistic triumvirate of Carlos Javier Olivares (artwork), Sara Collela (colours) and Taylor Esposito (lettering) absolutely nail the aesthetic here. I’ll admit to not being familiar with Olivares’ work until now, but he does a great job of packing the panels with detail, expression and dynamism, particularly during the aforementioned manhunt, with squealing car tyres and dramatic dog-throwing aplenty. Collella gives everything some great depth, and ensures the pink-haired protagonist stands out in every panel she appears in.  And, as always, Esposito keeps things running fluidly throughout, adding dramatic emphasis where needed.

An intriguing premise executed pretty much to perfection and a great example of a creative team working together seamlessly. Featuring a blend of relationship drama, murder mystery and magical realism, String is well worth a look.

Rating: 4/5.

---

[UNLETTERED PREVIEW ARTWORK – CLICK TO ENLARGE]

---

The writer of this piece was: Craig Neilson-Adams (aka Ceej)
Article Archive: Ceej Says
You can follow Ceej on Twitter

---