July 8, 2020
Two old ladies versus the apocalypse–what can go wrong? Very little if you’re like Lotte Thorn in the comic book, Ash and Thorn by Mariah McCourt. She’s crafted a unique type of master and apprentice narrative which sees this elderly warrior mage take on the undead! Her trainer is Lady Peruvia Ashlington-Voss. As the title suggests, these characters can be rather prickly.
The fact our heroine is recruited much later in life to deal with a supernatural threat says something. You’re never too old to save the world!
When evil is coming from different fronts, it’s less about land developers wanting to take possession of Lotte’s home. There’s also a Lovecraftian-style creature who wants something. Just exactly what, I suspect we won’t find out until issue #3 and there’s two more issues left before we see this series wrap up. I’m hoping more tales are planned. In this day and age where smaller comic book publishers can’t commit to a long ongoing series, short runs of any new idea is the norm. I’d love to see Ash & Thorn go on forever.
The humour is offbeat and I can’t help but think of potential crossover potential with other properties, like meeting Ash’s dad from Evil Dead. He’d fit right in! Although he was helpful to a limited degree as a ghost, I’m not surprised at the girl power being represented in McCourt’s tale. They have to face a developer–male of course–who reveals a plan to grow the township by building a much needed sewer main. Although his intentions seem good, these two ladies see past his ruse, and believe there may be something in the hole he’s digging up that nobody else is aware of. It isn’t oil underneath those hills.
McCourt has a concept that might get the big screen treatment as a one-off film. She brings to life an essence which I remember from how I remember my grandma. Artist Soo Lee balances a fine line of whether she is creating superheroines or drawing octogenarians doing the impossible. The pulp art style works in this comic’s favour, and it’s nice to see grandma kick ass!