Image Comics 2017
Created & Written by Seth M. Peck
Created & Illustrated by Jeremy Haun
Coloured by Nick Filardi
Lettered & Designed by Thomas Mauer
There are plenty of after the world end scenarios out there and yet none quite like this one. Orcs came to Earth and war ensued and now there are bands of Orcs hunting humans who have banded together to create new communities to protect themselves. Our group of travellers consist of hired guides and the party it leads. So with the decimated United States as the backdrop here let’s follow their course and see what happens next.
Well the young man they met who was all alone was skewered by a makeshift spear, which is some of that old twisted steel bar from a building. That is where we pick up here with the boy falling to the ground and what look like zombies attacking them. Well if zombies were able to wield weapons. I love it though because it feels kind of like this Dungeons & Dragons game to me and yeah I’d play in this world any day of the week.
I am really enjoying seeing Eldritch being put in his place by his lord of darkness. A man who has big ambitions is usually only loyal and faithful as long as it suits them. Once they obtain the power they seek their mindset, already fowled by delusions of grandeur, become even less stable and I look forward to seeing how Seth decides to take Eldritch on his journey here. Will he remain loyal, seek to improve his position and act of his own accord or will he tow the line and be able to be kept in check. Doesn’t matter which way it goes since any of them will extremely fun to watch.
Future visions are a double edged sword. On the one hand it’s interesting to see how things are to play out but the future is ever fluid and one small act can cause that ripple effect which will change it all. Plus depending on the person who does cast the vision isn’t there always a slight edge to their version of what they want to unfold? Okay Seth has me thinking way too much about this but ya know that means he’s writing this in such a way that gets the reader involved on so many different levels. It is this fact that makes this such a strong read for me.
Good grief Charlie Brown what has Jeremy gone and done now? This might be some of his finest work to date and if he keeps bringing us work like this then how much better can he get I mean I think he’s shattered the glass ceiling so what’s next? The attention to detail here is exceptional and even in the backgrounds or the little details like the zombie types or the twisted steel rod it all makes a huge impact on how we see and feel reading the story. The use of page layouts through the way angles and perspective are seen in the panels show such an eye for storytelling that is stunning. Whether we see the orcs, humans or the dead they all have this aura about them that kind of represents their personality and it’s quite impressive.
I really like the structure of this book. How the ebb & flow moves through the pages weaving in and out of the various plots and groups and yet you can still see the strings that bind them all together. With the addition of Zach to group it would seem they now have someone with them who in some way shape or form is more valuable than anyone yet realises. However time will tell how he plays into all this in the bigger picture but I have to say I love him as an addition here. This group needs someone like him, new blood and mystery about them that is.
Unique and original story in the world after it’s fall that reads like a gaming groups exploits it really couldn’t be any better than it is right now.