This week for Manga Monday I’m technically not covering a Manga, I got an email asking me to cover someone’s Indie Comic and I promised I’d do it. Since a comic is somewhat like a Manga I’m running this review on Manga Monday. It’s Silvertongue by Little Nando!

Plot Synopsis: Silvertongue 30XX: Space-Time District Attorney follows the story of Silvertongue Hernandez and a rat-pack of time-travelling lawyers, specialised in revisiting (or more like crashing), so-called “Trials of the Century” throughout space-time. Silvertongue, a selfish, dark, ego-centric, womanizer and addict, will encounter the most bizarre of adventures in search of Reality 2; a parallel multi-verse he and his motley crew are carefully crafting, which will possibly mean salvation for us all. Or, will it?

Plot: So that plot synopsis sounds pretty cool right? Well unfortunately for Nando I don’t hold back in my honest opinion of work and I don’t think the series pulls off what it promises in the Synopsis. Now granted that I only read the first volume, I don’t know if it will improve. However it was a bit hard to read, and seemed to jump all over the place. The pacing could use some real work and I wasn’t hooked within the first 30 pages of the 96 page volume. All of these things can and should be improved upon, because I think the concept behind this series is actually really cool. Going back through time and trying to mess with court cases in order to make the future better for all is an amazing plot hook.

Characters: It was a little hard to recognize the different characters after a while, and while I normally don’t have this issue I think it’s because some of them just aren’t all that different looking. All of Silvertongue’s lawyer pals look way too similar, we could use some blonde haired guys in the firm! The actual characters could use some more character development and this could be a pacing issue as well.

Art: The art is amazingly well done for someone who did this on his free time. Props to Nando for the artwork, it was easily the best Indie Comic artwork I’ve seen in a while.

Overall: If Nando makes some revisions to fix issues and republishes this first volume, I think he could have an amazing series on his hands. Until then, I’d hold off on reading it.

For those who like: American Comics, Lawyers, Phoenix Wright, History.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.