Flipside

Note:

This is one of the first web comic’s I’ve really started to read. I mean, besides stuff like Penny Arcade (I no longer keep up with this comic…not really sure what’s going on with it now.) I really like the artwork, and I like the main characters. They have realistic issues, sometimes even modern issues, with a fantasy/magic setting. It’s easy to read, it’s interesting, and the author seems like a pretty cool dude. I don’t know him, but I follow him on Twitter, and he seems to be really active with conventions and keeps his readers updated. I like that.

But enough about the introduction, we’ll get this review started. And, as I’ll always do, I leave the link here first, in case you want to read it before the review.

*~Click here if you wanna read the comic before the review~*

Homepage: http://www.flipsidecomics.com/

*This review has spoilers! Don’t read unless you’re prepared. I tell you if I recommend it or not, so you don’t have to read the review, if you don’t want to*

Flipside-Highly Recommended

Comic Creator: Brion Foulke
Copyright: 2004-Present (ongoing)
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance, Sexuality (a Lot of discussion about sex)
Pages: Lots, and more being added three days a week, so it’s pointless to put this up.
Chapters: Twenty-Seven (and counting)

Summary:

Flipside follows the story of two women: Maytag, an extremely flamboyant, sexually active, bi-sexual jester girl with some skillful tricks up her sleeve, and her lover Bernadette, a stoic, responsible, adept swordsman. The two, along with a young student of Bernadette’s, Crest, become entangled in a journey to find the mate to a magical sword Bernadette’s father left for her. Along the way, the group encounters both friends and foes, as a mysterious, evil group of sorcerers attempt to turn Maytag to their side with magic trickery and horrific human experimentations. It’s only a matter of time before the two women must not only face their past, but also their uncertain future and the infamous “Thin Man” and his followers of magically altered, and more often than not, deranged band of sorcerers.

Pros and Cons:

There’s a lot I like about  this comic. I enjoy the artwork because it’s done in the manga style. Though which genre it falls into, let me tell you, I’m not sure. Maybe…shounen? Or Seinen more like it, since there’s a lot of nudity and adult situations. Well, the thing it, it doesn’t readily fit into a style genre, and that’s something else I like about it. Brion does really good work, and I like how you can see how he gets better and better. He’s also got the prologue to Flipside on his site, so you can see even better just how he improves over time. He’s good not only with his inking, but also with the screen toning. And there are pages he has colored by other aspiring artists. I like how he supports the comic/art community.

As for the story itself, there are a lot of issues he tackles in his manga, which I really like. For one thing, there’s the relationship between Maytag and Bernadette. Maytag is basically a nypho, but she loves Bernadette with all her heart. There’s a struggle with one’s self and one’s desire that goes beyond self gratification. Maytag is willing to set aside her own lusts in order to please the one she truly loves, even though she personally finds it freeing and a part of her own self expression to take on multiple lovers. On the hand, Bernadette must come to terms with her own problems. She is often overly protective and nearly unforgiving when it comes to how May (as she’s called) views sex. Bern, too, must learn to compromise and give a little for the one she loves.

And of course, there’s the whole moral issue here, where people in this world also look down upon homosexual/bisexuals, and to a degree they have to fight against society for their love for one another (though this theme is not as overt later on in the series as the sacrifices they give for one another.) In addition, there’s the battle between whether or not magic should be used, or should avoided, as some (the Knights) believe magic to lead to evil: which is actually the case with the Thin Man, who used magic to experiment on people and toy with the lives of innocent people.

I also like how strong Bern is. She can hold her own against men, yet she is still very feminine. She doesn’t have to be overly manly to be strong and protect Maytag: which I like. The story also has a lot of comedic relief, in appropriate places, whereas in other parts, there are horrific creatures, and sorrow. There’s a great spectrum of emotions and themes which arise, making this manga a great read!

I can’t really think of any cons. Sometimes the “romance” is a tad on the cheesy side, but it’s not distracting, and overall it’s very believable. I have nothing else to add as a “con,” because I don’t think there’s really anything wrong with the story so far.

Conclusion:

I highly recommend this comic to anyone who likes fantasy, adventure, and yuri (to learn about yuri click here.) The characters are very realistic and act in ways you’d expect a person to. The story is unique, as well, and seems to be very well planned out. It reads easily, yet has some great issues underlying the story, and it’s something just about anyone can get into. Highly suggested comic!

Flipside–Highly Recommended!