Image Comics 2018
Written by Warren Ellis
Illustrated by Jason Howard
Lettered by Fonografiks
A professional pathfinder, his only ally a disaffected young murderess, breaks out of a torture cell in pursuit of his worst extraction scenario ever: escaping on foot across a sprawling and secret off-world colony established a hundred years ago and filled with generations of lunatics.
I don’t plan ahead more than a couple of days because I am so busy and I have so much to read that I don’t normally to see what’s coming out till the Monday before release. So I very much come into these books blind though when I see that Ellis & Howard I know I am in for a real treat. This first issue does not disappoint either. As the story unfolds we gain a lot of information about a few things but most of them are near inconsequential. I don’t mind that at all because the way this is done drew me as if I were a fish on the perfect lure.
The opening is everything you could hope for and more, and less as well. C’mon boys on even one peen shot I mean dude is in his birthday suit for this and nothing? I mean that flip over the table should have had it flying with him so yeah I am a tad disappointed that at this stage we don’t see anything resembling what it should or that men are afraid of peen. Otherwise I think the characterisation we get in that utterly phenomenal. Warren can tell a story like none other and this is not your run of the mill one either this one as it unfolds and we get a better grasp on what is really happening well I am sure we are going to be even more impressed.
As Mike Blackburn explores where he is at we are exploring alongside him. We are just as new here as he is and while he’s got a head start thanks to the intel he had before he got here. Which coincidentally we learn too thanks to some impressive and almost comedic dialogue and banter with his captor. Actually the characterisation of everyone we meet including one Grace Moody has the kind of stuff that works as a snapshot and it’s just a glimpse of what’s there and it leaves you wanting to explore it more.
OH Jason aside from my earlier cry the work he is doing here is sensational stuff. He’s set the bar incredibly high for himself already so it’s nice to see that while his signature style is present in the presentation this has a different approach. I am huge fan already I love the way the linework comes across here and the varying weights used to create the attention to detail is marvellous! Through everything the expressions on Mike’s face make me smile and feel optimistic even in the face of danger. The utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off his eye for storytelling which by the way is magnificent. Even the way this is coloured gives off a sense of illusion of an alien landscape and it just adds the story’s personality.
First issues are great because it gives us a chance to see what this series is going to be about. Of course one glance is never enough we’ll need a few issues to determine, yeah right with these guys one is enough, just how good it is and if we want to continue. But I am intrigued we’ve gotten enough truth’s and bits of information that lets us kind of know what is happening which draws us in and makes our own minds and imagination work to put the pieces together for ourselves. Isn’t that what a story is supposed to do?
This is an outstanding first issue that has just the right pacing and premise wrapped up in these stellar interiors to create something fresh and new. This is top of the pile reading stuff right here.