We haven’t seen Little Nemo in a while, but with art this incredible, it’s not too surprising. It probably takes a long while to draw everything in this series. The latest issue is out, so let’s give it a look. Is it good?
Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland #4 (IDW Publishing)
Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland #4 is the end of this small little mini-series. Return to Slumberland was always meant to be this small and used to just establish and build up this world. I was unaware of that and now that I look back on this small run, that does make sense. This small series, including this issue, did a solid job of establishing the world as a whole. Every issue always introduced you to a new place, new concept, or new kind of creature. You really got to know how wild and creative this world is, even if you’re not all that familiar with any of the past concepts.
However, while the book was great with establishing this world and even the characters, it fell a bit due to a weak story in the sense that the story was barely there and didn’t seem to have any focus at all. The plot just kind of drifted from point to point; it could feel abrupt with how it ended issues, and even feel padded at certain parts. The story as a whole probably wasn’t the major focus or most important thing, but even then, it’s the most obvious and blatant flaw in the entire comic.
The writing in general is solid regardless though. The dialogue was good, the characterization was strong, and there were even some bits of humor sprinkled throughout the comic. While there’s not much here to really dive into when it comes to the writing, there’s really no problem to be had with it either (maybe the ending feels abrupt, but that follows the same pattern as most of the issues’ previous endings). It all makes for a pretty strong comic for a younger audience.
The artwork is still the highpoint of the series here. The characters are drawn very well, with lots of great detail and creativity in their appearance. Speaking of which, the world is still as lush and beautiful looking as it’s always been. Every location in the book looks wonderfully detailed and put together, really making Slumberland feel alive. The layouts and backgrounds are great and the coloring is just downright gorgeous. This still one of the best looking kid comics currently available, even competing with some of the bigger and more adult comics in terms of art.
Is It Good?
Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland #4 ends this small series and sets things up for a bigger series somewhere down the line. Overall, the writing and characterization on the book was good as always, while the artwork was truly magnificent from start to finish. The only major weakness with the book was the story, which felt rather light and unfocused at points. Either way, I look forward to whatever the creative team has for this series in the future.
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