Trillium #1 Review
‘Chapter 1 and Chapter 1.1’
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Jeff Lemire
Colourist: Jeff Lemire and José Villarrubia
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
A review by Jake Morris.
What can be said about Jeff Lemire’s creator owned work that has not already been professed by the majority of professionals and fans alike? Not a whole lot really. The quality speaks for itself. Both writing and art that is of a high calibre both emotionally and structurally.
Trillium #1 continues that trend and starts what hopefully will be just as memorable as Lemire’s previous work.
The issue is split into two parts. Each one following either the scientist (Nika) or the soldier (William). The format itself is rare in a structural sense, allowing Lemire to take the reader on a journey through two separate points in time and space. Jeff Lemire himself has called the story “the last love story ever told”. All of you hopeless romantics needn’t worry though, it is a reference to the universe to which the story takes place, there will still be plenty of Rom-coms to see in the future.
Both halves of the book act as a lead up to the two characters meeting each other as their stories converge in the middle and both stories differ in many ways.
It is entirely up to the reader in which way they read the story. You can start with Nika’s or William’s story first. I began with Nika’s which I found made me care for her more so than I did William and this is quite an interesting aspect to it. The character you care for more could entirely rely on the way in which you read the issue.
Nika’s story I found to be more open as it is entirely created from anew. Basing her in the future (read 3797) opens her up for endless possibilities in regards to setting and what her current world is like. This is noticeable in how Lemire approaches the story colour wise, for he paints this section in watercolours giving it a pure feeling, awash with wonder and an almost fresh atmosphere.
The design for the world is also inspired, showing signs of beauty mixed with high tech environments.
William’s story on the other hand is not as free for the story aspect, being set just after the end of the first World War. His story is buried in personal struggle and William comes across as a man scarred by those frightening events in the trenches. Lemire captures these events well and throws you into the despair of posttraumatic stress quite vividly before moving forward with William on a trip through the jungle to find an ancient temple.
The art, in contrast to Nika’s, is coloured digitally by José Villarrubia and it puts weight on William’s predicament. He isn’t a free man despite his wandering through open territory. He is a psychological mess and interestingly, Jeff Lemire watercolours the flashbacks to the war instead. It layers the story emotionally and you do struggle to see any light in a shade that William constantly casts over his story.
Although we see differences between both characters, it is their similarities that result in them meeting. Both are head strong even though mentally, they differ in that one seems more together than the other. Both also show signs of not being opposed to conflict and question any authority shoved in their faces.
Lemire is crafting a story of fate and how time or space can not keep two lovers apart. Even if they don’t know it yet.
Where the story goes from here is most definitely interesting and the structure of this issue may be a throw away in the next, but the future of this series that comic book readers should not be missing out on. For those who think Jeff Lemire is at his best when writing his creator owned material, you are not wrong and this is another piece of work that proves he is a force to be reckoned with on the independent scene.
5/5
Jake is a contributing writer for Drunk On Comics. You can follow him on Twitter at @JakeUtd.