To care for his ailing father, pro bowler Levi Coen is forced to quit his dream job and return to his hometown, which he soon discovers has been overrun by Neo-Nazis! With only his bowling ball collection to defend himself, Levi becomes The Holy Roller, a trick bowling ball-wielding Jewish superhero battling to liberate his home and bowl a perfect game against crime! Holy Roller #1 delivers a new hero, perfect for the current time.

Featuring a trio of writers, Holy Roller #1 is an interesting debut. Let’s face it, it’s a very dark time for Jews across the world and has been for years now. The comic feels a bit cathartic in a way, allowing readers to fulfill a fantasy of basing Neo-Nazis and those full of hate in the head… with a bowling ball. Written by Andy Samberg, Rick Remender, and Joe Trohman, Holy Roller #1 is oddly timed and would feel a bit more comedic if there wasn’t a current pile on for Jews going on. The concept is a pretty simple one, a town is overrun by evil people and a person who left the town comes back and fights to clean it up. It’s a story that’s been done over and over. It’s just the specifics of the comic that makes it stand out a bit.

Holy Roller #1 takes place in Cleveland, and features a bowling, Jewish, lead. Having grown up in Cleveland and raised Jewish, it’s oddly specific to the reality for the people around me. We did bowl a lot. Is this a thing I just didn’t realize!? None of us became vigilantes and the hatred is all around us. So, the comic is rather relevant and connected to me in some odd ways. And with all of that, I laughed a bit. Despite the Antisemitism and issue’s villains dripping in hate, there’s enough to make readers laugh and more importantly, there’s more than enough to connect with.

Levi is a character that’s caught in multiple worlds and still not sure what to do with himself. His estrangement with not just his town but his father as well is something many readers will be able to relate to. This is a character who has wandered for some time trying to find himself, only to be dragged back to where he started and forced to face the different aspects of what makes him who he is.

The art by Roland Boschi and Moreno Dinisio with color by Dinisio and lettering by Rus Wooton is solid. What’s interesting is the style fits more of the comedic aspect of the comic. It delivers exaggerated moments throughout preventing it from being as serious as its subject matter would make it. The Jewish aspect is generally downplayed visually, smart as to avoid stereotypes. The bad guys have a look about them that fits every bad person on the ski mountain in an 80s comedy. The visuals are what keeps the comic a bit lighter and prevents it from being as depressing as it should be.

Holy Roller #1 feels like the right comic at the right time. Though the concept is a little heavy and honestly jarring with reality, it balances humor and heart to deliver the hero we just might need right now.

Story: Andy Samberg, Rick Remender, Joe Trohman Art: Roland Boschi, Moreno Dinisio
Color: Moreno Dinisio Letterer: Rus Wooton
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.4 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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