Aspen Comics 2018
Story by Jordan Gunderson & Christopher Fielder
Written by Christopher Fielder
Illustrated by Jordan Gunderson
Coloured by Luis Guerrero
Lettered by Taylor Esposito
In the not so distant future… The U.S. has spent several years embroiled in a conflict with the invading forces of China. In the war zone of the American Southwest, small bands of freedom fighters have formed to help guide refugees away from the destruction. Isabel Vasquez, known to her squad as "Delphi", has been leading rescue missions inside the combat zone for years. Escorting those displaced from the war has fueled her faith that she is making a difference. But now that faith is increasingly tested by reoccurring nightmares of a coming apocalypse….
I am pretty impressed with this one. The opening here is something grabs your attention, makes you question what it’s about and makes you want to read more. That and with Jordan’s interiors being so pencil heavy-esque in nature brings his style to forefront and makes this feel less like a cookie cutter Turner and shows us more about the man himself. Now personally the idea that those first peoples to cross over the land bridge from what is now Russia to the America’s and became not only the southern most peoples but the northern most as well yeah that’s something that I think has a nice original twist to it.
While the gods in question aren’t those we’re used to that’s okay and as the tribes storyteller does his thing and provides an oral history, in this instance of the rock formation they are around and the coming to this world and what followed for me is something I have never thought much about. Heck even in feature films this is an avenue not pursued and I kind of want it to be now ya know. I also found how the opening was able to past and then present horror from another angle yeah the flow the overall tone, mood and feel of the story is spectacularly well done. The execution of what I ma seeing here is damn near flawless and I am so impressed while I have enjoyed these creators in the past I think they are finally hitting that moment where people need to really sit up and take notice of the talent on display here.
I am a fan of Jordan’s, he did me a headshot sketch of Chemical King for my book, he’s a good guy and hella talented. So to see this style from him here that says hey I'm stepping out (I want the world to know, I got to let it show) and I am going to do something that will fit the story at hand and bring it to life the only way he knows how. There are moments where it seems the colours come off the pencilling and I have to say it’s freaking gorgeous. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off a stellar eye for imagination. The creativity and imagination on display here is amazing to see and ignites something inside the person reading it with their own personal connections. I want to say I would like to see more backgrounds but honestly the way they are utilised it extremely nice to see and quite effective in helping tell the story or showcase the moment.
Aspen has been home to some truly inspiring franchises and I see this one being with it but separate. It could fit into a timeline in the shared universe and yet it could also just be one of those alternate reality’s that have a close resemblance. Either way I want to see where this is going to go, how it’s going to progress and hopefully see this creative team given the chance to really build something with this and create the next franchise from Aspen that people need to be reading. There is a magic here that is undeniable and the connection it can make to the reader based in individual feelings and perception should be considered awe inspiring.