In Hollow Heart #1, El was once human. Now, he’s a jumble of organs housed in a monstrous metal body. El is is something far beyond being human who wants to be done with his existence. It’s worth noting that his living conditions are not great, either, as he’s also treated as less-than-human by those around him. That is until he meets Mateo, a mechanic that works his metal frame who I am assuming is the first person to show El any kind of care and respect.

I’m not at all sure what I expected from Hollow Heart but when I was done reading Hollow Heart #1, I was left impressed with the storytelling in this debut. While not heavy on dialogue, the plot is very intriguing, albeit a bit bleak and dark. But through that darkness is a bit of romance. Hollow Heart offers a glimpse into a darker aspect of existence. Props to writer Paul Allor for this story.

I didn’t think the art was as detailed as I would like. That said, I think the art does match the bleak, dark nature of the story. Paul Tucker’s art really hits the mood. I thought the colors kinda rocked throughout the issue.

If you wanted to shake up your regular comic reading with something quite a bit different, Hollow Heart #1 is just that book. It’s a unique and odd romantic story between a man and what’s left of a man locked in a casing. But it really stands out as good storytelling with a bleak approach. This is an easy recommendation.

Story: Paul Allor Art: Paul Tucker
Color: Paul Tucker Letterer: Paul Allor
Story: 9.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Vault provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: comiXology – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW