215 Ink. 2015
Written by Tim Daniel
Illustrated by Mehdi Cheggour
Ellen and her fellow survivors abandon Phoenix and venture into the desert hoping to locate a Titan II missile silo which may provide them with some semblance of safety from the beasts now marauding the planet. Will 30 feet of concrete and reinforced steel be enough to protect them from their fellow humans?
17 years prior
Alchem, the international agriforming system came online
2 years later
The North American node was abruptly closed and quarantined
3 weeks ago
The human race was wiped from atop the food chain by enormous beasts
This is without a doubt my favorite series to have come out of last year. With a unique premise, incredible characterization and excellent story pacing not to mention some of the most dynamic and brilliant interior artwork for me it broke new ground in what we should come to expect from the next generation of comic books.
The way this issue opens is a narration from Ellen recapping everything she’s been through and with it being in a black and white artwork with hints of colour here and there it’s really one of those powerful sets of imagery to get you caught up not only with her experiences since all this began but her current rental state as well. I liked that it wasn’t just her story either as we see the others that have had their stories told as well throughout the first arc. When page nine culminates in the recap we see all the faces in colour looking at what’s around them in black and white it’s just some of the most powerful combination of words and images i’ve been privileged to see.
When we get to the present we see Ellen and DJ in the desert and they are watching a scene unfold of what’s become of the people there. It almost feels like a scene out of Mad Max with new rules and those with guns and numbers rule the region. Oh man again you have to admire the imagery here it’s both frightening and logical for the area. Makeshift weapons only of use against other humans. They see a man who is need of rescuing as a woman is taken to a truck with a cage on it. What happens next well it’s one of those things that need to be seen to be believed. But trust me when I say you will not be disappointed in this book or what you read and see it’s so incredibly well done top to bottom start to finish it’s easy to see why it’s among my top picks.
The city seems to be overrun with monsters and now the so does the desert but the stark unforgiving landscape has monsters of a completely different kind. So many questions happening with this opening and wanting to see and know what has been happening with the remainder of the group Ellen left with, the girl in the bunker what’s happening with her and her transformation and is there anyone out there left alive that knows how all this happened?
This was a spectacular way to get reacquainted with this series and get excited for this new arc. The writing here is just so solid and interesting and let’s face it this interior artwork is really simply utterly amazing. That we can have such lifelike eyes and see faces and bodies like we do blows the mind.
Seriously if you haven’t tried this yet get this issue because you will be amazed at the quality of work on the pages. This is what SyFy only dreams about being able to do and we’re all guilty of watching those guilty pleasures but this is isn’t guilty and it’s surely a pleasure.