Red Giant Entertainment/Absolute Comics Group 2019
Creator & Art Page 12 Jamie Tyndall
Created, Written & Lettered by Benny R. Powell
Illustrated by Iwan Nazif
Coloured by Fahriza Kamputr & Bryan Argel Magnaye
White Widow narrowly escaped her first encounter with "The Group" and has now opened the mysterious file her father left her before he died. The secrets it unlocks will forever change her life. What will she do with the legacy she uncovers?
Well I will say this, I hadn’t expected so much of her origin to be provided this quickly! Not that I mind, mind you but I was expecting it to be drawn out longer so it’s nice to see what we do and get to know enough that we have some answers while still leaving the field wide open. I do like that the writing here is this strong so that the more we learn the more we need to learn. So the way that this is structured is extremely well done. There is a natural progression to what we see and how we see it so that it feels as if it happens organically and not forced or crammed into the book. This is a huge thing for me as it shows off Benny’s ability and skill when it comes to writing.
The story & plot development that we see happening is so superb in how it is able to really get the reader to become involved in the book. There is science here at least in theory if not technical expertise and for now I am okay with that considering most scientific minds and/or origins actually lack any kind of true mention of anything science related. Once upon a time that worked but not in this day and age when doing some searches on the interwebs will get you the answers you need to make the story incredibly plausible and realistic in how it’s utilised.
The character development here is really nice to see as well. Not just Gabby either but her friend and her enemies are all given personalities that make them recognisable and as the kind of people we either like, hate or secretly root for. I am pretty impressed with the overall way that Benny is able to take this story and run with it while creating a supporting cast and this enemy organisation all in just two issues so far.
The interior artwork is pretty damn nice too if I may say. The utilisation of the varying weights of the linework to create this attention to detail is phenomenal and the way that foreground and backgrounds done to create that natural perspective is amazing to see! If you are wondering that’s a blurred out background where you can still discern what it is while the focus is going to be closer to the reader. I think that’s a tool that is effective to have in the arsenal and it’s something that will set them apart in the industry and THAT is huge. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a superb eye for storytelling. The colour work is fantastic! How we see light sources create the shading, colour gradation or colour blocking depending, and the shadow really brings this all to life. The mood, tone and feel that we get from this is sensational.
This is badass, Gabby is worried she’s a murderer, though I guess justifiable homicide because they were trying to kill her and they had killed her dad. The inner struggle and wondering if it’s a result of the DNA slicing is an aspect I look forward to seeing explored. So this has been funded on Kickstarter and I am sure issue three or somewhere along the line it will show up again and I urge you all to get the first two issues and make sure that you are here for the long haul.
Smart, edgy, interesting and humorous this combines the best elements of the past and present to bring us the future today.