Michael Moreci brings us back to the abandoned colony of Dispater in the company of a ragtag group of explorers, adventurers, and guns for hire. What does Dispater have in store for these new adventurers? Is it good?
The hook is so important — especially for number ones, and, boy oh boy, does Moreci deliver an excellent hook. Much like the opening to Batman Eternal, Moreci begins the issue at a dramatic point for the protagonist. Unlike Batman Eternal, the protagonist is not in a compromising position; the protagonist, Sasha, is in an empowered position. She is ready to kick ass and take names. The power of Moreci’s dialogue instills in you a desire to fire up your spaceship and join her!
After this gripping hook, Moreci does some of the best character development I have seen in a first issue. Possibly being inspired by Matthew McConaughey’s character in Interstellar, Moreci, with some fantastic artwork by Kyle Charles, captures Sasha’s emotions as she rewatches a video of her husband and her daughter. You are able to sense her love for them from the second panel as she smiles and waves at the screen. This love transitions to an outpouring of emotion. Charles is able to expertly capture the emotion and longing she is feeling not only through close-ups of her face but also displaying her body language with the camera facing her back. Moreci and Charles are able to effectively connect you to their main character.
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