Zenescope Entertainment 2017
Written by Ralph Tedesco
Illustrated by J.G. Miranda
Coloured by Bryan Valenza
Lettered by Kurt Hathaway
Almost three decades after the virus hit, the world between sectors is overrun by raiders, outlaws and monstrous beings called “Primals.” Couriers are the key to trade as they navigate the extremely dangerous terrain between strongholds to deliver goods to the wealthy. And Eve Harper is maybe the best there is. But when Eve takes a job delivering a package to untrustworthy buyers, she soon realizes that this time she may have bitten off more than she can chew.
Each issue that comes out the more impressed I become. What Ralph is doing with this is really kind of exciting. Instead of just trying to inundate us with the world, how it got this way or the inherent science and such behind all that the he instead is giving us Eve, her life and how she gets along here. Her job, as much as we see of it, is really just the catalyst for her adventure which is all the introduction to the current state of the world we’re getting. It’s a smart way to tell the story and I like that the more she sees and the more she has to do the more we learn by proxy.
While i’d like to see a world where societal collapse didn’t see the uprising of so many independent warlords it really is the only logical thing. Small provinces are going to pop up each one run by a local who will assert his control and authority through violence and threats. That’s the only way to keep some semblance of order or so it would seem. So naturally there would be much backstabbing, conniving and duplicitousness that not all would welcome. The character development that we see here runs that gamut and I have to say it’s very well done.
I do like the interiors here, from the softer more muted version of Eve’s past to the present and beyond the linework here has a nice weight to it. The attention to detail is so nice to see and the way that works to give us these facial expressions and body language to keep the characterisation happening in all aspects is a bonus. The way page layouts are utilised through angles and perspective not to mention the use of backgrounds really does help tell the bigger picture and allows us to get more involved in the story.
This is the kind of stuff that is not only popular, post apocalyptic never goes out of style but it’s also very prevalent right now, but it’s also a great way to showcase some strong storytelling chops. Inherently they are all based on the same premise so it’s the devil in the details that sets them apart from one another. In this case Ralph has found a way to make his story unique and interesting. This is also the kind of book and storytelling that keeps readers coming back, not the over sexualised and slutty dressed gimmicky ploy the company started off with.
The Courier sends the right kind of message that solid storytelling and high quality interior artwork will keep you at the forefront of the industry.