Comic: Tara Togs - The Silence of Unicorns (2024) + Video

Original release: 2024 (Kickstarter)
Created by: Stref
Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Fantasy
Pages: 68
Publisher: ComicScene / Shift
Country: Scotland

Tara Togs began as a homage to the spirit of Tintin, carrying echoes of that classic adventure style while gradually evolving into something of its own. What started as a familiar foundation has since taken on a distinct identity, shaped beyond its original inspiration.

Created by Stref, a Scottish creator. 
The character first appeared in a short story titled Hot Dog, released through ComicScene. 

From there the project expanded into a Kickstarter campaign in 2024, which led to this first full adventure, The Silence of Unicorns.

Our story begins in Belgium in 1940 with a playful tone that carries through the opening. The humor is present from the start and establishes the world clearly. A valuable “horse” painting is introduced and quickly becomes a central focus, immediately setting up a sense of mystery.

We are then introduced to Tara in the present day in Scotland, specifically Tattiebogle, Edinburgh. She is an aspiring professional photographer, an ambition shaped by her late father, giving her a clear personal motivation from the outset. On a personal level, this connection resonated with me, reminding me of my own photography endeavors and my late father. Visually, she is defined by her distinctive appearance, particularly her twin ponytails, which evoke Pippi Longstocking.

 

The narrative follows a classic setup of being in the wrong place at the right time, where curiosity pulls Tara into situations she was never meant to be part of. As the connection to the painting becomes more relevant, Tara is drawn into the unfolding story, forming the foundation for the adventure ahead.

The mystery is cleverly built around a missing “horse” painting and a legendary “unicorn” painting, which together drive the story forward and create a strong sense of intrigue.

 

  

This is a full adventure, with car chases, gunplay, hiding, horse riding and more, along with encounters with a small but memorable cast. Among them are the private detective Heggy and the medium Lexi, who add personality and variation to the journey. We also get a unique side character in Major the talking myna bird, who brings an extra layer of charm. I always enjoy classic mystery tropes like a mysterious figure, who is only partially revealed throughout the story. By keeping him in the background, the story maintains intrigue and leaves the reader questioning his true involvement.

 

 

Tara herself stands out as both funny and quick-thinking. She feels resourceful and active, pushing the story forward rather than simply reacting to it. The action is well structured and rewarding to follow, making it difficult to stop. There is a strong sense of momentum that keeps you wanting to read on and discover where it leads.

The dialogue leans into Scottish and British flavor, with words like “bloke,” “golly,” and phrases such as “just the ticket.” At one specific point it was slightly challenging to follow, but it’s all fun, and it adds authenticity and strengthens the sense of place.

 

Visually, the scenery is well drawn, with strong attention to buildings, vehicles, and the overall environment. It creates a grounded and believable world that supports the story. Some of the designs, especially the cars, feel distinctive enough that they could easily translate into collectibles.

By the end, the inspiration becomes clear not only in tone but also in storytelling style, often associated with the ligne claire tradition. At the same time, it never feels like a copy, but more like a companion piece that stands on its own.

Tara comes across as a younger, more modern lead. While she may be in a similar age range as Tintin, she feels younger in spirit, giving her a different kind of presence in the story.  
 

 

10/10 - There is a real sense of joy, like finding something you did not realize you had been missing. It is an engaging and enjoyable read that leaves a strong impression and a curiosity for where Tara’s adventures might go next. It would be interesting to see a future adventure set in Sweden.

Following the release of the book, two short stories were produced for Aces Weekly: Tara Togs in Halloween! and Tara Togs in Lost Gold of the Forth.

 

 

  

 

An enhanced version of Hot Dog is planned to be included in the upcoming collection Tara Togs: Year One.
Look at the ongoing Kickstarter here: 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/comicscene/tara-togs-year-one 

In addition, a short parody strip titled Tara Togs and the Orange Dust Gang has recently been released in the comic anthology Falcon, offering a lighter, non-canon take on the character. 

 

 

If you got this far, now go back and look at the cover again for The Silence of Unicorns, there is 2 unicorns hidden in that image, can you find them...

Links:
Buy Tara comic here:
https://share.google/TBUu2AETEihRUlSFG

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066742922160

Stref´s Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/stref70/

Original kickstarter for The Silence of Unicorns:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/comicscene/tara-togs-the-silence-of-unicorns

There is also a companion video with Stref, talking about about the progress. 

Article written by: Sonny Mikszath

Movie: Lunamancer (2021) + Video

Premiere:
September 17, 2021 (Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival)
Country of origin: USA
Directed by: Noah Mucci
Written by: Noah Mucci, Matt Patterson
Produced by: Ooze Productions
Distributed by: Indie Rights
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Fantasy
Runtime:1h11min
Starring: 
Jake Pirkkanen, Nicki Clyne, Nick Denning

Sometimes you don’t find a movie, it finds you.

I was digging through filmography connected to Cannibal Holocaust (1980), curious about what
the cast had done before and after. That’s how I ended up looking into Perry Pirkanen. While
browsing, I came across Lunamancer (2021). I checked out the trailer and instantly got a bit of a
Falling Down (1993) vibe from it.

Out of curiosity, I got in contact with one of the writers, who ended up sending me a physical Blu-
ray copy for review. That alone already made the experience feel special.

What I didn’t realize until the movie arrived was something kind of funny. Looking at IMDb, I
noticed I apparently own every movie Perry Pirkanen has ever appeared in:
Not that many, but still.

All good movies too and all physical editions.

Cannibal Holocaust (1980) – Jack Anders

City of the Living Dead (1980) – Blond Gravedigger (uncredited)

Cannibal Ferox (1981) – Paul (uncredited)

Then next he can be seen in this Lunamancer , let´s see if we find him...
 
The film starts strong. I won’t spoil anything, but the opening works as a real hook. It immediately
makes you want to keep watching just to understand what’s going on. Then the music kicks in. Hard. By Composers Evan Michael Brown and Shayon Daniels. It has this powerful retro energy, almost like an epic thriller from the 80s. As the film goes on the soundtrack starts to feels like something straight out of Drive (2011), mixed with the synth-heavy atmosphere of Stranger Things. That blend works incredibly well and gives the movie a strong identity. 

The story follows Isaac Blake, a man driven by a strong grief. He’s searching for his missing sister, trying to understand what happened to her, where is she? Isaac is very unstable and believable. If someone close to you disappears, that kind of emotional breakdown feels real rather than exaggerated.

Based on the trailer, I expected something closer to Falling Down. What I got instead was a better
slower and more introspective drama-thriller with light fantasy elements woven in. The film leans
heavily into psychological territory. There are moments where reality feels uncertain, like memory
itself might be distorting the truth. That aspect gave me strong Silent Hill vibes, where you’re never
fully sure what is real and what is shaped by the character’s mind.

One thing that stood out was the use of VHS-style filters and flickering effects. It’s not overused,
but when it appears, it adds a layer of unease and reinforces the retro aesthetic.
There’s also a short crowbar scene that immediately brought to mind the famous hammer hallway
sequence from Oldboy (2003). It’s brief, but very well executed and visually striking.

Oldboy (2003)

The Blu-ray release includes a commentary and a VHS version of the film, which is a really nice
touch. It fully commits to the retro style the movie is going for and it shows that the aesthetic wasn’t
just a surface choice, but part of the film’s identity, I wonder if this is the original version...

Coming back to where this started, Perry Pirkanen plays Gordon Blake, Isaac’s father. Doing a sweet and nice role. It’s always interesting to see actors from older cult films appear in newer movies. One do miss that mustache right.

On another note the actress Nicki Clyne that played the missing sister Sue is famous for being in the Battlestar Galactica show. 

Overall, Lunamancer is a deeply atmospheric and emotional experience. It feels surprisingly
European in tone, even though it’s an American production. It takes its time, leans into mood and
psychology and trusts the audience to sit with its ambiguity.

Rating: 8/10 A slow-burning, stylish thriller that sticks with you.

 

Links:
IMDb - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13635040
Homepage: https://lunamancer.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lunamancer2023

A bit extra for this, it is a first even for the blog, a Companion video with the makers, where they talk about the movie, exclusively made for this article. Made after the article was written. 
 

Article written by: Sonny Mikszath