Scurry: The Doomed Colony is the first of what is now a trilogy of graphic novels by Mac Smith. Smith, who I know from his stunning Warhammer 40k illustrations, ran a successful Kickstarter for The Doomed Colony in August of 2016. The story follows a colony of house mice lead by Master Orim and the Elder Council that have found themselves in dire straights after the humans they’ve lived off of have vanished. With food and supplies scarce and the cats becoming more of a threat, will the colony press on?
While the story introduces readers to many of the mice in the colony, it focuses on one in particular: a brown mouse named Wix. Wix is the self-proclaimed “best scavenger” in the colony with dreams of someday becoming a scout. He is fast, smart, and very thorough when on the job and is often seen with his partner Umf (a large rat who joined the colony after leaving the city) or Master Orim’s daughter, Pict.
Pict, a secondary focus of the story, spends her time navigating the tribulations of the colony’s plight and politics. As parties clash with different ideas as to the future of the colony it seems like a coup may be on the horizon as tensions begin to boil over. Pict uncovers a foul plot and is thrust into action with little time to save those she cares for.
There is action and intrigue throughout the plot depicted with beautiful artwork and well-timed action that really draws the reader into the world that Smith is depicting. The author himself proclaims drawing his influences from films he grew up with during the 80’s such as Don Bluth’s The Secret of NIMH, Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal, and Wolfgang Petersen’s The NeverEnding Story. These shine through the grim and gritty overtone that bring the story of the mice to life.
With well thought out plots, deep characters, and pacing that leaves you constantly anticipating the next frame, Scurry is a joy to read. Smith does an amazing job of bringing his world to life and his passion for the project shines through brilliantly. This comic had me hooked from the first page to the last, and with such a cliffhanger at the end that I immediately started the next in the series; Scurry: The Drowned Forest.
All photos included in this review of Mac Smith’s Scurry: The Doomed Colony were taken and edited by Krista. Scurry can also be read as a webcomic.