City In The Desert: The Monster Problem
Publisher: Archaia Entertainment
Writer/Artist: Moro Rogers

WHAT does a monster fighter do when there are no more monsters to fight?

That’s the unique dilemma that courageous bounty hunter Irro finds himself in. He and his assistant Hari (who looks like a female version of the Monkey King from Journey To The West) have made a good living doing what they love – hunting monsters and selling them for cash.

However, things change after a mysterious religious sect called The Way of the Sacred Peace introduces a way to get rid of the monsters forever, putting the two out of a job.

Irro and Hari soon discover, however, that no more monsters does not necessarily mean no more problems. The two are called back to action after a strange disorder afflicts their city of Kevala, transforming its citizens and even turning Irro and Hari against each other.

City In The Desert: The Monster Problem is a solid graphic novel, an entertaining tale of adventure and friendship containing both humour and drama.

Published by Archaia Entertainment, the novel is lettered by Deron Bennett, and written and illustrated by first-time creator Moro Rogers.

The California-based Rogers’ debut work is impressive, managing to be well-paced, compelling and simple all at the same time.

Her characters are memorable: Irro is a charismatic, courageous monster hunter who is occasionally too confident for his own good – a hat and whip away from Indiana Jones. Hari, on the other hand, is passionate yet brooding, her identity issues forming the emotional heart of the story. The dynamic between the two is well played, and I look forward to learning more about Hari’s mysterious heritage in later volumes.

The supporting characters are also fun, particularly Vanik, a cantankerous monster-oil merchant, as well as the sinister Darga, the leader of the Way. My favourite character, however, has to be Bok, Irro and Hari’s mount – a bison-like creature with a detachable head!

While Rogers’ story can be read as a fun, monster-killing romp, The Monster Problem also explores themes of humanity and morality. To reveal more would spoil the story, but the graphic novel invites its readers to ask themselves: “If acting on negative emotions is part of being human, would failing to do so stop you from being human?”

As The Monster Problem is the first volume in a series, its story is not resolved; indeed, it seems to serve mostly as an appetiser and an introduction to Rogers’ world and her characters.

Indeed, the world of Kevala seems to be an exciting place to visit, packed with sinister religious cults, thrill-seeking monster hunters, and weird spirit fountains. Readers may only get a glimpse of the land in this initial book, but Rogers drops many tantalising hints about Kevala’s rich and interesting history throughout the story. Irro, for example, makes references to a previous rebellion where terrible acts were committed, to his monster-hunting parents as well.

Hopefully, future volumes will expand on Kevala’s fascinating background and resolve the monster problem in a more satisfying way.

The Monster Problem’s art, however, was slightly harder for me to appreciate. I am a fan of lush, detailed panels, and so it took me a while to warm to the book’s simple, rough style. Rogers is fond of using bold, curved lines, resulting in many of her characters looking slightly cartoonish. At times, I felt as though I was flipping through a sketchbook rather than a finished graphic novel.

Because of this, I think her novel could be particularly enjoyed by a younger audience.

This does not mean, however, that the art is bad. Rogers seems to be a master of minimalism, managing to make her characters extremely expressive despite their simple appearances. I also liked the design of her monsters, with a particular highlight being a drooling, slack-eyed hyena monster Irro and Hari encounter in the middle of the novel.

Rogers’ novel is mostly coloured in grounded tones such as brown and grey, which perfectly capture the harsh, dry setting.

All in all, the City In The Desert series promises to deliver a cracking good story, and while I am not that fond of the art, I look forward to its next volume, The Serpent Crown, which is due out soon. The previews show Irro fighting some sort of praying mantis-scorpion monster – doesn’t that sound cool?

City In The Desert: The Monster Problem is available at Kinokuniya, Suria KLCC.

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