Dynamite Entertainment 2017
Story by PIerce Brown
Written by Rik Hoskin
Illustrated by Eli Powell
Coloured by Jordan Boyd
Lettered by Tom Napolitano
While the Sons of Ares are on the run as their mission takes a deadly turn, Fitchner Au Barca’s time at The Institute is revisited. He learned many lessons there, but the most important of all was one of loyalty. The Peerless Scarred stand above all and look down on the rest. Their dismissal of one of their own proves to be a fateful error.
Well it’s the second issue and once again there’s an adaptation of a novel that i’d love to peruse. There’s something about this that I really do enjoy this and it all has to do with identity. How our narrator sees himself, his life and how it’s unfolded and shaped who it is we see right here and now. This may technically be a science fiction story but in reality it is very much more than that. You know as I typed that last sentence it dawned on me this is exactly what Science Fiction is, it’s all about self-discovery, overcoming obstacles and becoming the hero you were always meant to be, or villain depending on your point of view. Funny how a story can make you think, realise things and come to those conclusions you’ve always known yet didn’t think through.
Well the kidnapping that the group has done has turned out to be less than what they expected. With forces closing in on their location and their plan in disarray it’s out of the frying pan and into the fire time. Actually I like the way this story is structured as we see the now and how it’s all unfolding and then hitting flashbacks to a time when Fitchner was going through the housing process and discovering people’s true nature. Not only do we get to see the impact his sorting and subsequent pressures life placed on him but we see how that shaped who he’s become it’s really that good.
I like the stylised interior artwork here! It gives us great faces, mood, tone and feel in what we see. What it lacks in its attention to detail it more than makes up for in the ambiance that it creates for us. The way page layouts are utilised through their angles and perspective and yes even the backgrounds in use all conspire to really bring the reader into what’s happening. Plus the familiar use of those masks are spectacular I really believe this wouldn’t be as good without the way this looks.
Honestly this is the kind of novel series i’d love to read and that i’ve never heard of it or have friends that would’ve recommended it is a shame. Thank goodness Dynamite knows good properties when they see them because this covers a section of Science Fiction that doesn’t get noticed as much. I think that this is such a story driven vehicle it’s got that cerebral part to it that I enjoy immensely.