She wants to sell the scrolls. And the rings that the scrolls come in. He thinks that it would be better to sell her dagger. Of course, she's not going to want to do that. The dagger is what's been keeping the two of them alive in the desert for some time. They've got a hell of a long way to go, and some very serious danger awaits the two of them in Kaya #1. Writer/artist Wes Craig establishes a desert-based adventure fantasy story in its opening issue. Color comes sweeping across the page courtesy of Jason Wordie. 

Kaya and Jin are refugees. He's a prince. She's his sister. She's small. He's smaller. She's got a magical arm for protection, but they also have to worry about hunger and dehydration. And then there are the lizard people. THEY might turn out to be some kind of danger as Kaya and Jim are in a dangerous place, and they don't know who to trust...and they may not have a choice. Life in the desert isn't going to be easy, but with the right momentum, they may be able to get revenge on those who have made them refugees. 

Craig opens the story with two tiny heroes in a vast desert. Craig provides more than enough of an indication that the series is headed places that could be very, very big. He's starting it small. The two heroes are incredibly vulnerable. It will ultimately make the story that much more satisfying many issues down the line. That being said, Craig isn't providing a lot of indication that there's going to be a lot in this particular adventure fantasy that will necessarily be all that distinct or distinctive. It's a charater-driven adventure, though...and Craig DOES make Kaya and Jin feel sympathetic enough, which should go a long way towards making the series appealing as things progress.

Some of the appeal lies in the visuals of the world of Kaya. There may not be much of a visual feel for the immensity of the desert the two heroes are moving through, but there IS a sense of danger. The big reveal on Kaya's magical arm feels like a fantastic revelation in and amidst the danger of the desert. Possibly the single most impressive thing that Craig delivers to the page visually is a range of emotion for the lizard people, who all have faces that don't exactly lend themselves to emotional depth. Craig is careful in framing the action to deliver very dramatic impact.

The action of Craig's fantasy could go in quite a few different directions if it's allowed to do so. Craig has hinted at great civilizations and more significant threats. He's hinted at the possible waning of human life in the world. There is power evident in the lizard people. None of it feels particularly inventive, but it all feels remarkably engaging, centered as it is on a girl and her brother who are primarily alone in the desert. 

Grade: B