Pirouette #1

By Mark L. Miller, Carlos Granda and El cómic en línea foundation

“Last chance, come all! Come inside! Have a ball! At Samwell’s circus of curious and wonder!”

Ever wondered what it’d be like to work at the circus?

Writer Mark L. Miller has crafted a chilling look into the life of a young circus performer. A young girl by the name Pirouette has felt all her life like she doesn’t belong.  She’s forced to keep the audience laughing when what she really wants to do is soar high on the trapeze, and she’s constantly ridiculed for her behavior. Luckily a few other performers know how she feels, and she isn’t alone in her struggles.

Art and inks are done by Carlos Grand with the colors being done by El cómic en línea foundation. Some of the scenes get pretty intricate with detail, much like the scene featuring the quote above. It’s one of the opening scenes to the text (following a dark opening seen featuring Pirouette mimicking something the Joker has done) and serves to bring us into the circus and experience everything it has to offer. Grand depicts an announcer shouting his loudest to try and get everyone coming to the circus while the El cómic en línea foundation soaks everything in pale, dreary like colors – keeping with the tone of the story. A couple panels on the side of this page show Pirouette smiling, a genuine smile, as a seal throws his play things at a cruel lion tamer, making her laugh.

Miller has created a story that tackles dark themes with an ironic twist – if the smile is painted on, does it really exist? Pirouette is living a life she feels trapped in, but hope could be at the next stop. Also, DON’T DRINK THE TEA!