Scott Summers is a mutant who is always in near-total control of his powers and his emotions. But what happens when he’s separated from the X-Men, lost in a mountain wilderness without the visor that keeps his devastating powers in check? And will he be able to stay alive when Donald Pierce and his cyborgs, the Reavers, are hunting him? It’s a tale of the X-Men’s leader at his most savage core! Cyclops #1 kicks things off with a normal superhero beginning but ends things with the start of survival horror.
Written by Alex Paknadel, Cyclops has a great concept going for it. Cyclops losing his visor isn’t necessarily a new concept. But, the idea of him being alone in the woods and being hunted without it, does feel original and different. Cyclops #1 kicks things off with a typical X-Men comic. The team is on the offensive and after Cyclops heads out when summoned by someone from his past. But, on his way back he crashes in a forest and his visor is damaged. That last bit is interesting and what I came to see, which leads to the negative, it takes a long time to get to that bit.
Cyclops #1 is a lot of setup, and who knows how much is really needed. The battle in the beginning, his meeting a friend from the past, some feels superfluous and other bits feel like they’re just means to an end. No matter, if we can get the latter part of the comic for the rest of the series, we’re in for a treat.
Paknadel goes the underpinning horror route. There’s the idea of a blind person being hunted in a forest that’s scary enough. But, the comic’s use of the Reavers creates something more with body horror that adds to the vibe of the comic. While the Reavers’ inclusion is a bit convenient, it’s still a solid addition that creates an adversary that’s familiar and can be dangerous.
Part of the horror is in thanks to the art by Roge Antonio. With color by Fer Sifuentes-Sujo and lettering by Joe Caramagna, the comic begins to really shine visually when the Reavers are introduced. While it looks solid up to that point, the cyborg aspect creates visuals that are uneasy and the new group isn’t as clean polished as the Reavers of the past. It adds up to what feels like slasher horror with the undead killer stalking its prey.
Cyclops #1 is a good debut with a solid ending. It builds its rather calm, safe, and somewhat mundane aspects to all hell breaking loose nicely. It’s a simple concept that should be a lot of fun and deliver an X comic that stands out and feels unique from the bunch.
Story: Alex Paknadel Art: Roge Antonio
Color: Fer Sifuentes-Sujo Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
