Mini-Comic Review: Fence by C.S. Pacat

Series: Fence, Vol. #1
# of Pages: 112
Publication: July 31st, 2018
Source: Library E-Copy
Genre: Comic
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Combines Issues #1-4. Nicholas Cox is determined to prove himself in the world of competitive fencing, and earn his place alongside fencing legends like the dad he never knew, but things get more complicated when he’s up against his golden-boy half-brother, as well as sullen fencing prodigy, Seiji Katayama. Nicholas, the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion, is a scrappy fencing wunderkind, and dreams of getting the chance and the training to actually compete. After getting accepted to the prodigious Kings Row private school, Nicholas is thrust into a cut-throat world, and finds himself facing not only his golden-boy half-brother, but the unbeatable, mysterious Seiji Katayama... Through clashes, rivalries, and romance between teammates, Nicholas and the boys of Kings Row will discover there’s much more to fencing than just foils and lunges. From acclaimed writer C.S. Pacat (The Captive Prince) and fan-favorite artist Johanna the Mad.

One word...WOW. I did not expect this comic to be as amazing as it was! First, I am not a huge fan of comics that focus solely on sports; however, for some reason this one didn't even feel as though it was surrounding a sport. What I think I enjoyed most about this comic was that I learned a lot. I knew what fencing was prior to reading the book; however, I had no idea that it was so complex, had so many rules, and was so competitive. It was intriguing to watch the main characters navigate the sport whether they were experts or newly introduced to all things related to fencing. Speaking of characters, I like the varied personalities of all the characters. While they all enjoyed fencing, there were stark differences in their confidence, how they carried themselves, and how they treated other characters. 

This comic also contains great LGBT representation. I've become hesitant when people classify certain books or comics has having LGBT representation simply because a lot of times that representation is simply a random character that has been added for the sake of having a LGBT character. Fence definitely proves that it is beyond utilizing LGBT characters for the sake of diversity. The relationships between characters are smooth and natural and they feel like they are supposed to be a part of the story. Overall, the story was phenomenal and I really enjoyed reading about the characters, their love of fencing, and the fierceness of the competition. I'm really looking forward to picking up the next volume.