Written by Jurii Kirney
Art by Elina Kiyushnikova
Published by Scout Comics

Master Gregoire d’Alpen is a world-famous fashion designer and inventor. His groundbreaking corsets fascinate and inspire millions of people around the world. It’s been years since he showed his face in public, living in seclusion in his mysterious clock tower high above the gothic city. One night, a young and naive girl named Elize ruins the master’s grand fashion show. D’Alpen invites her to his tower, where he plans to reveal his dark secrets to her-but first, she must give him something in return.

In one issue, the creative team weaves a tale that starts slow and builds to an incredible crescendo before peacefully flying off into the night!

A story based around fashion did not sound like a story for me. But when you bring in some steampunk, some intrigue, and a touch of supernatural I’m hooked. Add to that some spellbinding art with some well-utilized colors and the world of Corset comes to life.

When fashion shows are held at the “Eyesore,” a clocktower where a world-famous fashion designer works – and is anything but an eyesore, everyone comes out to watch. At one particular show, a girl falls onto the runway and ruins the show. This intrigues the master designer, d’Alpen, and he invites her into the tower to speak. Nobody has seen Master d’Alpen in many, many years so it is surprising to see that happen. The interaction and relationship that builds between our fashion show ruiner, Elize, and Master d’Alpen brings some masterful characterization and emotional storytelling to the Eyesore.

On the other hand we have Arno, a fashion critic who Elize knew and played with as a kid, who seems to only want to be with and near the best of the best. I see his emotional connection to Eliza as somewhat of a foil to d’Alpen and what develops between the master and Elize. Hinted at from the beginning, there is a twist to d’Alpen’s story that will leave you loving this story even more because of the layers it adds to d’Alpen’s character and motivations behind meeting Elize.

If you’re looking for an emotionally driven story about fashion and what it means to be alive, don’t miss Corset #1!

Rating: 8/10

Corset #1 is now out at comic shops and online at scoutcomics.com!

Cover A (JUL211902):