Sanctuary
By Stephen Coughlin
Slave Labor Graphics
Release Date: Available Now
Cover Price: $.99

Stephen Coughlin‘s Sanctuary is a really nice change of pace from any comic that’s out there today. Not quite sure where you’d categorize this, and I get the feeling that’s what the writers are going for, so I won’t even try to. Although the comic features talking animals, make no mistake, this is NOT a kids book and nothing along the vain of Captain Carrot or Spider-Ham. I feel bad even making those comparisons. Billed as “part Lost, part Island of Dr. Moreau” that wasn’t quite the feeling that I got out of it, having the bite of neither of these things. Yes, there’s mystery, but that’s really where it ends. The story is a little slow to begin, but once it gets going, it’s decent.

Honestly, the comic wouldn’t be half as enjoyable as it is if there was any other art style attached to it. The super clean, almost animated style totally sucks you into the world and holds you. Looking at the art style, you’re going to expect one kind of book, and you’re getting just the opposite. A nice curve to throw the reader.

For this to get the attention that Coughlin wanted, it really needs to be collected in a physical trade, and I hope that one day it is. I can easily see this selling to the Lenore crowd. This book won’t change your life and I don’t think it’ll be the book that you’ll go back and read again and again. But, is it worth a $.99 download? Yes, it certainly is.