Comics Bodega received a review copy of MORGANA PENDRAGON #1 (of 4) from Queen of Mercia LLC Publishing. Available on BackerKit, the creative team for this debut issue features writing by Madeleine Holly-Rosing, illustrations from Alden Kaye, colors by Warnia Sahadewa, and letters from Troy Peteri.
Here’s my spoiler-free review of…
MORGANA PENDRAGON #1 (of 4)
Created by Madeleine Holly-Rosing
Written by Madeleine Holly-Rosing
Art by Alden Kaye
Colors by Warnia Sahadewa
Letters by Troy Peteri
Edited by Davd Avallone
Production Design by Dave Lentz
Main Cover Art by Rio Burton
Limited Edition Variant Cover Art by Roberta Ingranata
Having lost her magic when she fled England twenty years ago, Morgana leads a mercenary team wherever the best paycheck is. All that changes when she receives a message to return—her brother, King Arthur, is dying. Now, she must not only face Mordred, the child she left behind, but a new threat which may forever change her and the future of her country.
Spoiler-Free Comic Book Review:
MORGANA PENDRAGON #1
After a successfully-funded Kickstarter campaign in May of 2025, MORGANA PENDRAGON #1 from Queen of Mercia LLC Publishing is coming to print. And this might be one you’ll want to snag a copy early.
The titular character is a natural leader; her army consists of devout followers. Morgana’s entourage includes a group of skilled and talented individuals who have fled their former lives for one reason or another. Morgana’s assertive, persuasive, and strategic. But even with these strong traits, it feels like we’re seeing a woman with the weight of England on her shoulders, even though she restrains from showing it. Perhaps that’s the driving factor for Morgana. The sister of King Arthur has to hide not only that she has lost her magical abilities, but that she has a son – a potential successor to the throne.
Madeleine’s foreword is makes for an excellent introduction and the character bios at the end add even more context to whet your palate. And the diverse characters seem appropriate. It’s not diversity for the sake of diversity. Given the era, the region, and the sign of the times, it’s an intelligent grouping/mélange/collection, or whathaveyou, to help capture the time period and place in the world. And it works.
Writing:
In this first issue, Madeleine provides clearly defined personalities into her cast of characters within moments of meeting each one. And their words reflect their characters greatly. Her writing has me hooked for this tale of excitement and mystique through strategic, intentional word use and dialogue that is desirable for any reader.
I wanted a bit more of the story. But I realize it was withheld for a future reveal. I believe this desire of mine was likely birthed from becoming so engrossed with the comic as a whole as each page turned. Regardless, the foundation this premiere issue lays out makes for a storytelling you just wish Madeliene would continue on. And on. And on. Impressive, to say the least.
Art:
Vividly detailed battle scenes, expressive action visuals, and a sharp panel layout puts Alden Kaye’s talents on full display and it’s glorious. He captured the essence of the time period and the detail is superb. I was instantly hit with incredible visuals that were beyond what I could have foreseen. I can’t wait to see more of what Kaye puts out in the following three issues. It really is an experience all by itself. Kudos, Alden!
Colors:
I found Warnia’s application of colors in MORGANA PENDRAGON to be threefold: they offer a soft, matted compliment to the characters, a warmtone palette reminiscent of 6th century Europe, and she established the essence of this world.
During action sequences, Sahadewa intensifies the panels with stronger, bold, and cutting reds and oranges which amp up Kaye’s linework, providing striking battles and vibrant scenes. You’ll find that the mood and tone of any page, or the book as a whole for that matter, is thanks to Warnia’s contributions. Her pairing with Alden makes for a brilliant one-two punch on illustrations.
Letters:
While Troy’s placement is sharp, I can’t help but wonder if Alden didn’t play a part in assisting the letterer. Most of the panels don’t have, nor require, a lot of dialogue. But there were a couple instances where it felt as if Kaye made room for Peteri’s contributions. If so, that makes for a stronger creative team and shows a lot of respect for the acclaimed letterer. And oh yeah, his onomatopoeia game is on-point. For solid letterwork, Peteri can dish it. (<–see what I did there?)
Overall Assessment:
Secrets and mystery abound! A story with a fairly steady pace, nice historical references, and great cultural representation, MORGANA PENDRAGON delivers on many levels.
Holly-Rosing’s storytelling whisks you away, in a way reminiscent of a fable or tale. It’ll grab you and take you along for the adventure, almost as a tertiary character within the panels. It delivers a gripping narrative that’s both appealing and intriguing.
The artwork from Kaye & Sahadewa will grab a hold of you from the get-go. The illustrations are beyond impressive and far better than you might expect from a crowdfunded book, let alone from a larger publisher. The visuals alone exceed the value you’d hope for in a comic book, on any level. Plus you have pro-level lettering to really enhance the dialogue and scenes.
Comics Bodega highly recommends MORGANA PENDRAGON’s debut issue. Knowing there are three more issues to come, my piqued curiosity for what may transpire in subsequent issues feels it will be sated. If you enjoy a fun-filled fantasy with a compelling storyline and beautiful illustrations, look no further!
Rating:
4.5 Out of 5 Stars
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MORGANA PENDRAGON #1
can be ordered on BackerKit HERE!
About Madeleine Holly-Rosing
& Queen of Mercia LLC:
A TV, feature film and comic book writer, Madeleine is the winner of the Sloan Fellowship for screenwriting, and the Gold Aurora and Bronze Telly for a PSA produced by Women In Film. She also won numerous awards while completing the UCLA MFA Program in Screenwriting. Having run a number of successful crowdfunding campaigns for her comic, Boston Metaphysical Society and Morgana Pendragon, Madeleine has also taught crowdfunding classes for independent creators at Pulp Fiction Books in Culver City as well as guest lecturing at Scriptwriters Network, Dreamworks Animation, and UCLA Professional Programs. She has also published the book, Kickstarter for the Independent Creator.
Boston Metaphysical Society is owned and operated by Queen of Mercia LLC. Brass-T Publishing is an imprint of Boston Metaphysical Society.®