Full disclosure here... I'm not big on webcomics. Even so, I am writing this review after I was prompted to promote the webcomic created by one of Comic Vine's very own. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Adler's Watch by HarlequinKiss

Adler's Watch #1
Created by: AnnaMaria Bryant (@HarlequinKiss)
Summary: A Century in Seconds. Anthony Adler, a man accused of murder in the 19th century is suddenly transported through time and space after touching an old pocketwatch. Sammy & 23 find him, assuming he’s 23′s relative.
Release Date(s): Aug 2, 2011- Sept 29, 2011

The Good

I'm going to start off the bat here and just start talking about the art. AnnaMaria Bryant is one of my favorite artists in the internet world. She executes some of the best facial expressions and actions poses. I like her style a lot. In the case of Adler's Watch, my favorite design is that of the character that goes by the name/number of 23. A mysterious girl who shares some sort of relation to the main character, Adler, and a love for the abnormal.

Putting aside my love for the art, I want to shift focus to the story. This comics is about man named Adler from the 19th century who is transported to the year 2011 by the means of a pocket watch. Coincidentally (maybe) Sam and 23, two girls who spend their time looking answers for paranormal situations, are on the receiving end of that watch. Why does 23 resemble Adler? Why is 23 so nonchalant about the surrounding events that would make us, normal folk, gasp, scream, and maybe even faint? Interested in the story yet?

The Bad

Even though I might be biased about the comic because the creator is a Comic Vine user, I can't just mention the positive. I mentioned above how much I love Bryant's art, but the thing I should emphasize on are her pencils. Her colors are another story. I think they are great, but the moment you put characters in a busy settings, the color tones chosen make it hard to focus on the characters themselves. Like all artists there is always room for improvement, and Bryant is always showing some betterment.

The story is well plotted, and the concept is very interesting, but for a first issue this sometimes felt like a big question mark. I felt like I was just dropped into an already established world and no one told me. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but, because of the story's quick-paced nature, I had trouble following at minor points of the story.

The Verdict

I feel like this is a a mash-up of Scooby Doo and Back to the Future with funny one-liners and a great plot. In other words, my verdict is that you should read it. Your fellow Comic Viner wrote it, it's free and it's a fun piece of internet literature. I can't wait to read issue two and find out why 23 is called twenty-three. I can't wait to understand what the pocket watch is. I also can't wait to see this creator grow into her own professional self. Kudos Anna!

-- Geo (sora_thekey) 24/7 geek! -- Follow me on Twitter: @Geo_sorathekey