Review by Frank Plowright

Lisa Maas supplies a very understated cover to Forward, but it represents the story’s major theme of how Rayanne lets opportunities pass her by. Her previous relationship was toxic, and she’s lost the confidence to pursue another, instead telling friends her job keeps her too busy while fantasising about the paths never taken. Those friends and colleagues are aware of her loneliness, and provide encouragement, and what Rayanne doesn’t know is one object of desire feels it’s time to start putting herself out there again as it’s been several years since her partner died.

A naturalistic approach is taken to people’s lives by Maas. Under other circumstances the pages occupied by everyday events could seem padding, but here they underscore the loneliness endured by both Ali and Rayanne. Forward is structured to spend considerable time with each alone before they come together around halfway through, and that solo time provides a full understanding of both.

While the art is emotionally strong, Maas only draws the single face. That doesn’t have to be a problem as numerous superhero artists can attest, but she doesn’t vary people enough. Every woman featured is slim with short hair, and at times it’s difficult to distinguish between them. Otherwise the art is simple, establishing places and surroundings, but never in a way that detracts from the people, and it can sometimes really surprise such as sequence of conjoined panels showing the passing time during a date

For a long while Forward sustains the leisurely pace, but while necessary to establish Ali and Rayanne at the start, once they’ve met it’s a hindrance. Ali’s not sure she’s ready for a relationship again, but Rayanne is, and the holding pattern that develops leads to repetition. Forward needs something else, perhaps the complication of a third major character, because while a couple of sequences resonate, too much of the second half drags, and while reactions remain realistic most of the time, Maas isn’t above resorting to melodrama on occasion to prolong the tension. If that sort of compromise is being made, Maas would be better diving in deeper.

While charming and touching, Forward is a promising graphic novel from someone who’ll do better next time.