The Sun Prince, The Saint and The Changeling is one of those comics that sounds too good to be true: a historical m/m romance with beautiful art. The first two parts are out as of this writing, so the review that follows is based on the first 70 pages of what will be a complete graphic novel at the end. The project is set to be 8 parts, which would mean we're about 1/4 of the way through the story at this point.
What do you need to know? If you're a fan of historical romance, you'll most likely have two reactions to this work. First, you'll thoroughly enjoy it. Second, you'll be irritated that the rest of it isn't out yet. However, in my experience, the best way to convince creators to create is to buy their work as it comes out, so I think you'll just have to join me in the "why can't I read it all now" camp.
The comic is in black and white, but the artwork is quite lovely. The characters are lovingly and consistently rendered, which is nice because there are three young men at the center of the story and sometimes that means it's hard to tell who is who. The backgrounds, however, shine. I'm curious what reference materials Chama is using to create them, because the setting is very distinct. It's summer in what is now Italy, and it's very bright and warm, a feat when there are no colors.
As for the story, it feels like a love triangle so far, but we've just gotten to the first kiss and I did a little squeak of happiness at that scene, while another character stomped off in anger. The dialogue in the first issue is awkward and stilted at times, but that doesn't seem to be a problem in the second issue.
TL;DR - if you're looking for an m/m historical romance comic? Pick this up. It's $3 for each part on Gumroad right now.
