Monte Cook's Ptolus - City by the Spire 1 of 6

Issue 1
Written by Monte Cook

Sheva Callister is a former adventurer and treasure hunter who is supposed to be retired after the death of her partner, Parnell. But a noble from the mysterious city of Ptolus meets her with a special task - he’ll give her something she desperately wants if she’ll retrieve a special brooch for him. Sheva takes the job, against her better judgment, and soon finds herself in a complex web of deception as some of Ptolus’s most infamous residents attempt to kill her and take her hungersword!

I only saw the project being advertised and decided to try and pick up some issues before it heads to TPB. I found each issue except for #2, so I got the first one to see if I like it enough to hunt down the second one. The issue begins with a narrator, identifying herself as Sheva Callister, the protagonist of the story, telling how she used to a be a popular sellsword. However, she no longer works for money, but an old "friend" request her help and that worries her. She meets the house leader of Khatru, Lord Dorant, who wants to use her as a thief. She agrees and that night tells her former partner, and now ghost, Parnell that Dorant wants her to break into House Vladaam. It turns out a diviner has pointed the finger at that house for having stolen the Brooch of Khatru. Elsewhere, a woman known as Lilith is contacted by demon messengers about a hound and she speaks of a prophecy.

Later, Sheeva and Pallen begin their infiltration of Vladaam only to encounter werewolves as they enter. Using her hungersword to dispatch the beasts, Sheva and Pallen enter the estate to find it is a trap. Waiting inside are Godfred and Allister Vladaam. Godfred begins to fight Sheva while Allister muses about alerting the guards to help Godfred after he took care of Pallen through the necromantic arts. Sheva comes to the realization that they knew it was going to be her and that she would have a hungersword, which Iristul Vladaam has been looking for. The issue ends with her vowing to find whoever set her on this path.

Well, I was hoping for a good comic here and I believe I found it. One of the first things that caught my attention in Previews was the art style and I was not disappointed. It was very beautiful and matched this medieval setting quite well. While certainly a primer to the full six-part series, I was hoping for a bit more background, especially on the mysterious Lilith and Iristul and why he wants the hungersword. I am sure, though, that this will come to be in the second issue though. I really like the character of Sheva. I have always appreciated a strong female character, be it Buffy, Faith, Thursday Next, Goldmoon, Laurana, ect. and I think Sheva is a good addition to these. I guess I am going to have to go searching local comic shops for the second issue and the rest of the series. This is one I want to see to the conclusion. I would give this a perfect 5 if not for some nagging questions I wanted.

Score: 4 / 5