Following his adventure in Canto, the eponymous tin-man returns in Canto & The Clockwork Fairies, a one-shot taking place during his people's pilgrimage to their ancestral home, where they will no longer be enslaved. After a game of "Hide and Seek" with his friend the Malorex, Canto hears cries of distress coming from a deep crevice in the Earth. Underground, he discovers hundreds of fairies who've been captured by an evil witch. She cuts off their wings and replaces them with clock components, something with which Canto is intimately familiar -- his people have long had their hearts replaced with clocks and his, unfortunately, is damaged.

Canto & The Clockwork Fairies picks up soon after the conclusion of the first arc, when Canto's people are still adjusting to what freedom looks and feels like. A brief exchange at the beginning of the one-shot reinforces how difficult this acclimation is for some, because as enslaved people, they weren't even allowed names -- a rule Canto broke before leaving on an epic quest to retrieve the heart of his beloved. He failed in his quest, but he returned to his people with hope and found that they had overthrown the enslavers in his absence. This fantasy tale is dark, but hope prevails, which makes it incredibly special.

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This one-shot is imbued with that same sense of hope, as well as an ebullient feeling of joy. Canto teases his friends more and offers sage advice -- the kind that's been passed down to him and the kind he's learned through his own experiences. Although he had a companion in the Malorex during his quest, to see him surrounded with his people again in this one-shot is particularly emotional. The Canto creative team has a gift for crafting emotional moments in even the quietest parts of the story and that gift is on full display here.

Writer David M. Booher gives Canto the space to feel the full spectrum of emotion, even as he tries to remain hopeful for the sake of himself and those around him. His dialogue in this one-shot reads very naturally, which is an obvious reflection of how much time he's spent building this world alongside series artist and co-creator Drew Zucker, colorist Vittorio Astone, letterer Deron Bennett and editor David Mariotte. Canto & The Clockwork Fairies feels more lived-in than its predecessor, which is a good thing.

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Zucker's art also rises to the occasion for this one-shot. The detailing in the clockwork fairies and the witch is particularly intricate and Canto's emotions are made clear in his face, even though he's made of tin. It's a remarkable feat to make a creature made of metal appear visibly contrite, frustrated or happy, but Zucker pulls it off with seeming ease. Astone's colors make everything pop, as well, enhancing the art to a degree that makes each page feel as if it should be framed and hung -- especially full-page, single panels which capture the epic, high fantasy vibe of the series through gorgeous line work and perfectly-executed coloring.

Several panels in Canto & The Clockwork Fairies are textless, relying entirely on the art to convey what's happening. The panels with dialogue and music, however, are enhanced by Bennett's deft lettering. Even when several characters speak on a page, Bennett's work flows naturally in tandem with the rest of the creative team's, providing context and information without pulling too much focus or feeling overwrought.

Simply put: this comic is gorgeous and easily gets classified as a must-read. Note: While Canto & The Clockwork Fairies is a one-shot, it would be beneficial for readers to be familiar with the original title, which is comprised of six issues collected in Canto, Vol. 1: If I Only Had a Heart. The trade paperback is available now from IDW Publishing.

At time of writing, Canto & The Clockwork Fairies is slated for release on May 20; however, in light of developing news regarding Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. and the COVID-19 pandemic, this date is subject to change.

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