Canto & The City of Giants #3

Canto & The City of Giants #3

IDW Publishing 2021

Written by David M. Booher

Illustrated by Sebastian Piriz

Lettered by Andworld Design

Having been betrayed by the Misturian Witch deep within the deadly labyrinth, Canto stands alone against the mechanical nightmare named Ferro. Canto’s prize—Ferro’s horn—is within reach, but so are the beast’s gaping jaws. The brave knight has found his way out of tight spots before… Can he do it again? Don’t miss the thrilling conclusion that bridges Canto II: The Hollow Men and Canto III: Lionhearted!

It is no secret that Canto is one of my favourite characters and that I think he’s the greatest character find in the last few decades. He is a hero though he doesn’t see himself that way and his being ever so humble is one of those qualities that makes him so accessible and relatable to. By going up against Ferro he isn’t trying to prove anything to anyone he is doing so just so that he can free his friends from their horrible situation in the hopes that they will help him defeat the shrouded man. Last issue Elda fled betraying the trust that Canto has placed within her and should things be any more dire as he faces off against the beast Ferro alone?

I am in love with the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well. The character development that we see through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances that they encounter is magnificently rendered. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more and more of the story with its twists & turns we’re sucked into this nail-biter of a encounter.

I am very much enjoying the way that we see this structured and how the layers within the story continue to grow, evolve and strengthen. These layers contain the strong characterisation, the return of Elda, the giant Queen & King and of course Fra & Ba’s situation. Whether it enhances the main arc or simply swirls around it what they do is add extra depth and complexity to the story. How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is perfectly achieved.

The interiors here are incredibly charming. The linework that we see with its varying weights and techniques being utilised to create the detail work that we see is utterly marvellous. The creativity and imagination that is on display here is truly magnificent and the beast Ferro is a prime example of this. The way we see backgrounds being utilised enhance the moments and it’s a shame we don’t see more of them in use. The composition within the panels do bring us great depth perception, a sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkably talented eye for storytelling. The colour work is beautifully rendered. How the various hues and tones within the colours are being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a magnificent eye for how colour works and how to maximise the effects it can bring.

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One of the best things about this franchise is that it is being told in arcs. Each one is a stand alone story that ties into the bigger picture. So instead of trying to do a monthly book it’s being told in chapters and it’s incredibly smart and makes sure the book is on time and being told in the best possible manner it can done in. With stellar writing and incredible characterisation alongside some of the charming interiors is what makes Canto as incredible a series as it is.