Set in a Mesoamerican-inspired world, Mezo #1 kicks off a new fantasy world. It’s also the start of a new distribution concept from publisher A Wave Blue World.

The Tzalekuhl Empire is on the warpath disrupting the peace in the land of Mezo. Kyma is of a people who are in their path and witnesses the death of her father, a tribal leader who refuses to yield.

Writer Tyler Chin-Tanner introduces us to an interesting fantasy world setting up the key players and the conflict that’ll drive the story. While interesting, Mezo #1 doesn’t quite make its case though.

Mezo #1‘s release is a bit different. We have this premier first issue which will hopefully get you interested in purchasing future issues digitally or the entire trade with the rest of the story. And while the first issue is entertaining, it doesn’t stand out enough. There’s little when it comes to twists. The characters are tropes and out of the box. What makes the series unique is its design and setting. Beyond that, it’s a story we’ve so far seen and characters who are forgettable.

The art by Josh Zingerman is nice. With color by Doug Garbark, the look of the series is unique to make it stand out. Colors pop and there’s a detail in design of the characters that’s really nice. But, all of that doesn’t quite make up for a story that’s bland. The visuals pop. The story does not. Lettering by Thomas Mauer is good though there are choices where the emphasis on the dialogue should have been made but wasn’t. An example is speeches before crowds where the lettering remains unchanged but should have been larger to emphasize the emotion of the moment.

The comic is ok. There’s nothing inherently bad about it but there’s little that makes it stand out. The “premiere edition” features designs and penciled pages but it’s all standard items we’ve seen in trade collections. Much like the story, there’s nothing new or particularly unique.

Story: Tyler Chin-Tanner Art: Josh Zingerman
Color: Doug Garbark Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Story: 7.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

A Wave Blue World provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review