The sign of a good book for me is one that both leaves me excited for a lot more at the end of it but also one that I'm excited to read at the start of it. This one certainly satisfies me with the first and I'm already of a mind that with the second issue I'm going to be very excited to get into it. I was curious and intrigued by it from the creative standpoint going into it but had avoided reading anything about it until experiencing it firsthand. The team here has a lot going for it with the concept and execution and it's one that I'm very excited to see how far it really goes as there are so many possibilities. Definitely worth checking out to see if it clicks as strongly for you as it does with me. Read Full Review

Despite having plenty of familiar notes that I've seen in fantasy before, Finch's writing and Guara's art were very enjoyable. Creator-owned seems to be what I like from Finch more than her work on characters owned by other companies. I'm glad I gave Rose a chance and I'll definitely be back for the second issue. Read Full Review

I picked this up entirely based on the strength of the cover image, but found myself enjoying it quite a bit, to the point where even The Khatz (who are all big cats) naming conventions didn't throw me entirely out of the story. With so much on the ball, Rose #1 feels like it could be something big (or at least something good), and with Rose now in the company of an elder sorceress called Ila, we have some real Ben Kenobi action going on. Read Full Review

Rose #1, from writer Meredith Finch and artist Ig Guara, benefits from establishing a world that is both distinctive and well-realized, with interesting characters at its center. If the story beats of Rose #1 feel familiar, I'd argue that they are more mythic than rote, and if you are a person who enjoys these kinds of magical stories, then these kinds of touchstones are to be expected. The art by Guara is appropriately lush and executed with a painterly approach that is pretty effective for the genre, but it also retains a feeling of jeopardy and a visceral tone that permits for moments that come across with more impact. Overall, for lovers of the fantasy genre there's plenty here to enjoy, with solid characters and a firm and specific handle on the world-building. Read Full Review

'Rose' #1 is off to a great start with a well-executed high fantasy that looks great and is compelling. A tale of tragedy and revenge that smartly sets the stakes in the first issue, introducing the threat and the eventual savior. Finch and Guara work seamlessly together to create a comic worth reading and getting immersed in. 'Rose' is a winner. Read Full Review

Rose #1 introduces readers to a world filled with magic, power, and hope; all the ingredients to make a great comic. When you pair that with the beautiful pages of art from Guara, it is a must-have for any fantasy, superhero comic fans. A tale that can introduce such a vast world with complicated characters and strong themes of oppression and hope in one issue is a great book. The book does maybe bite off a little more than it can chew with the enthusiasm it shows to fully immersethe reader into this world, but that all becomes forgiven once you hit the last few pages of the book. Read Full Review

Finch sets up the world of Rose fairly quickly in this first issue but still manages to pack a lot of info in. It is off to the races with this first issue as it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, with the assumption that more will be revealed along the way. This issue serves as background story, setting up the big bad, and delivering the heroin Rose. Read Full Review

What ultimately drives the issue, and what will likely prove the deciding factor in returning for issue #2, is Ig Guara. The artist turns in a wondrously detailed and appropriately magical first issue, combining well-realized character work with equally impressive backdrops. Read Full Review

An engaging, traditional fantasy with the promise of an epic in the making. Read Full Review

It's an enjoyable read, to be sure, and the art is excellent, but at this stage everything feels too familiar to give it a full recommendation. Only time will tell if this escalates beyond your run-of-the-mill fantasy. For now, it will do. Read Full Review

Rose #1 disappointed me. I have yet to connect to any character, not even the lead, and the overuse of war and death in just the first issue seemed like a guilt trip to try and press readers to feel something for people we don't even know. I still want to learn more about Rose and hope that I can connect with her, I know first issues can sometimes be a rocky start and I do see some glimmers of hope in the issue that can hopefully shine more as the series continues. As it stands now, I find it hard to recommend this issue. The artwork is good and the story isn't bad at all, but it has a lot of growing to do. If you like fantasy and female leads then it might prove something you want to take a chance on and see how future issues fare. Read Full Review

If you're not tired of the fantasy setting that seems to be Image's main genre as of late this still doesn't seem to do much to the genre in way of anything new and not completely clich. It's one highlight comes from the Queen Drucilla who in and of itself isn't too far off from typical genre clich's. Read Full Review

ROSE is unfortunately a paint-by-the-numbers fantasy story that leaves little interest to read on. Read Full Review

This whole issue was generic. Even Ig Guara's art, whose work I normally like, didn't work for me. The world created by the writer and artist didn't wow me in any way. This was a quick read, which Image books usually aren't, so it's not even worth the money. Read Full Review

It was really nice to hear how happy the writer was to get her own book in the foreword, it made me appreciate how much work goes into getting your stories out there. This first issue was pretty solid. It felt like a lot of setup that will hopefully go interesting places in the future.

Cool. Very familiar tale...Maybe too familiar.