I think it's safe to say that most of us have probably had an imaginary friend at one time or another. Even if you didn't grow up with one, maybe you grew up with Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Either way, the concept still exists the same. What if our creations of imagination could exist on our own plain?

In his debut graphic novel, The Creators, Michael Bracco explores this very concept. What happened if a small portion of us could in fact draw creations and have them exist in our world and they were controlled by our emotions. Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t really go down as something all that pleasant. Sure for some of us we could draw up something warm and cuddly, but then there’s the flip side. This is exactly what The Creators looks to explore.

Our central character, Maya, is a recent orphan and send to the Creators Academy, where she’ll learn to hone her gift of creating. The catch is nothing is as it seems and Maya is simply trying to find a way back to her creation - the last connection she has to her now dead parents. Bracco bats for perfection and knocks it out of the park for this debut novel. He brilliantly builds up the mythology of this world and the villain as an overarching series story line. While also balancing the contained arc of Maya’s search to connect with her creation once more.

Behind just writing, Bracco also serves as artist on the book. Sometimes pulling double duty can prove inefficient. Where you’ll have the writing be really strong and the art really weak or vice versa. In the case of The Creators it’s a rare find where the art is just as strong as the story telling of the book. Bracco crafts a raw and honest tone to the art that when coupled together with the grayscale; allows it to stand out in the genre. His use of purple and yellow for the creators and the creations help establish this as a one of a kind book. The color palette, alone, of the book makes this a series worth investing in.

Overall, The Creators Vol. 1: Imagination is Power, crafts a compelling and emotional story backed by strong art and wondrous color palette choices. Marrying grayscale to strong purples and yellows, making it a truly defining visual experience for all readers. The art is matched only by its’ storytelling. Presenting a perfect balance and blend with two story arcs of both the hero and villain and building its beautiful mythology. The Creators is in every vein a symphony of perfection waiting for you to experience it.

FINAL SCORE: 5/5

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