Zenescope Entertainment 2018
Written by Chuck Dixon
Illustrated by Julius Abrera
Coloured by Robby Bevard
Lettered by Taylor Esposito of Ghost Glyph Studio
After a daring and dangerous escape from a sadistic super-max prison, Robyn is finally back home where she belongs. But as she re-acclimates to her “normal” life in New York City, a new evil has been released and Marian Quin needs Robyn’s help to send it back from where it came… But this battle is about to get more personal than either of these friends could have imagined, and nothing will ever be the same!
Well not being a stranger to an archer and a magician Chuck seems extremely comfortable behind the wheel of this series already. We are two issues in and already I think this is one of the more interesting arcs we’ve seen yet and that’s mainly because of how all this comes to us. The way the book is structured is extremely well done and the way you don’t even notice the little things that are so essential to how the book flows. Chuck’s been doing this for quite a while now and he is incredibly good at it and to see things like Marian giving Robyn directions via cell phone which keeps them in contact, realistically, and it makes the transition to what else is happening extremely smooth and believable.
Also I have to admit that the reason why Robyn is on the West Coast instead of home in New York City well that’s nicely done. Seeing her outside her normal purview is expanding her presence in the Zenescope Universe and for a change she isn’t kidnapped. So that while she’s trying to help Marian after she and Sam did some magic that they shouldn’t have been messing with and something else entirely pops up well that’s just how Robyn’s life works. The inclusion of the Mexican men in those outfits with the skull masks attempting to kill German Villaraigosa is the kind of coincidence that usually complicates Robyn’s life in ways she never sees coming.
The way Chuck is able to work him into the story, after the way we saw him last issue, is extremely well done and while Robyn thinks she “innocently” saved his life and his desire to repay the favour well it all has that wrong place, right time feel to it that man like German is going to take advantage of. He is rich, charming and handsome and that he is the kind that will chase a woman like Robyn for her actions well it isn’t out of character. Speaking of which the characterisation here has been phenomenally well crafted here.
Julius and Robby do some classic comic book superhero work on the interiors here and it’s amazing. The attention to detail, like the way Robyn’s fingers are on the motorcycle, or the utilisation of backgrounds and all of which has this wonderful linework which gives us such a great look at the scope of the story. The way page layouts are used so we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a splendid eye for storytelling here. Also the creativity and imagination here, when Sam’s in full on possessed mode, is incredible to see plus the realistic use of physiology and body proportion is excellent to see.
What I am finding most interesting about this arc is that Chuck and the guys have taken Robyn from protector to super-hero. This is now a superhero book and it’s the kind of stuff that would make Green Arrow jealous because it’s interesting, the promise of what we’ll see is spectacular and the use of the characters are done in ways that make them even more effective than we’re used to seeing. Also that Chuck’s grasp of Marian’s love and feelings for Sam shine through here.
This is how Zenescope officially enters the superhero genre.