Originally posted on (19/Sept/2018)

Story: Ryan O’Connor and Naomi Noodle.
Script: Ryan O’Connor.
Art: Naomi Noodle.
Lettering: Naomi Noodle.

Roomies is a new comic from O’Connor and Noodle which is launching at MCM Scotland.

Sam likes to party. One night at a party, Sam takes part in a game with a Ouija board. Unbeknownst to her, the game successfully summons  a demon. Before you can say “All Hail the Dark Lord”, Sam finds herself with a new roomie in the demonic form of  Gazadriel (aka Gaz).

Naturally as this is issue one, the comic introduces us to the main players of this piece as well as explaining how Sam and Gaz came to be roomies. The comic is described as ‘Remember “Friends”? Imagine it also dealt with demonic entities and other planes.’, which after a couple of readings is pretty accurate.

In terms of moving the story along, the comic has a heavy focus on the characters and the (often bad) decisions they make. Dialogue is entertaining and the reader quickly has a feel for the characters. I did laugh at how it seems that Sam is going to be the loose cannon of the case rather than the demon Gaz.

The art is bright and fun, just what the tone of the story of calls for. The flow through the pages is easy to follow, characters and props are clear to the reader even at a glance. I did appreciate the work on the backgrounds in the scene in the mall. It would have been easy to drop the backgrounds after a few panels but they are kept throughout the scene. It reminds the reader that the scene is playing out under the watchful eyes of other shoppers.

The only thing I would pick at regarding the art is the first page in the bathroom. Left panel sees a rear view of Sam brushing her teeth. In the next panel Gaz is in the doorway behind Sam. Because Gaz is in the left of the panel and looking to the left, it initially didn’t read that clearly where one panel ended and the other began. It only took a few seconds to clarify it but it did mean momentarily taking me out of the story. But it’s a small thing that other readers probably won’t have the same issue with.

It’s an enjoyable first issue that has a cast and sense of humour that really appeals to me. And the prospect of where the story can go for the Roomies is something that has me looking forward to the next installment.