As a cinephile, I am often drawn to both stories and personalities, and usually in that order, as no matter how good an actor is at their craft, if the story is not well written it’s a waste for the audience. The material must be good and the actors must understand the material and form their own connection to it. You can see the commitment made by certain actors by how convincing they are. One of the most underrated actors of our time, is James Marsters, who played Spike in Buffy The Vampire Slayer. His portrayal was spellbinding and it was not until years later, I found out that he was not even British, he’s from California. Shows how good of an actor I think he is.

Another such portrayal is Antonio Banderas’ portrayal of the titular character in Zorro. That reinvigorated character in many fans minds including mine. I grew up watching the cartoon and the Disney live action TV show. What made me appreciate his character is how he and his brother were a pair of orphans who became bandits but only he became more than that. I wished I could have seen more of the two brothers. Their dynamic was something special and could have been so much more. In epic saga Zindan we meet two brothers, much like the two brothers in the movie, except both became more than their beginnings.

We are taken to the time of the Ansaars, 1681, a dynasty that would rule India for almost four centuries, and would turn family against each other, until the dominant came to rule. We meet two brothers, Zain and Timur, who were both orphans, as the castle that they grew up in, burns down. As they find Khalid, the man who saved them form a life of bondage, dying in Timur’s arms, they realize war was coming their way. Through a series of flashbacks, we find an emissary from the House of Alamgir, who has demanded their kingdom give up all their resources or be crushed. Soon armies from Alamgir start attacking the castle, first by raining down arrows of fire all over the kingdom. Next, they attacked by barging through the first defense with elephants. As their armies started to crumble, Alamgir’s army of Mughals descend on the fortress in full force. By issue’ end, the Mughals have penetrated through the fortress’s entrances, as the legend of the castle’s many secrets prove to be true.

Overall, this “first issue” is a sweeping fantasy tale that is more than an adventure but an exploration of what one is capable when they are pushed to the brink. The story is immersive, action packed and well developed. The art is simply gorgeous. Altogether, a tale which leaves readers invested in these characters and this world.

Story: Omar Mirza and Khurram Methabdin
Art: Adelso Corona, Jessica Jimmerson, Sajad Shah, Alonso Espinoza and Sabine Rich
Story: 10 Art: 9.8 Overall: 9.9 Recommendation: Buy