Review: The Revisionist #1
How far would you go to save reality? Martin Monroe is The Revisionist-a time-traveling assassin tasked with repairing our fractured timeline. Forced to place his trust in his estranged father, Martin will have to overcome his troubled past to save the future-but can he live with his decisions?
With The Revisionist #1, Aftershock Comics continues to roll out exciting and fun comics full of action and most importantly, quality! Writer Frank Barbiere nails it with an action comic that’s very cinematic in its opening and feels like an action film in comic form. It’s very much Barbiere and will feel familiar to his previous work such as Five Ghosts.
The first issue feels like the scene that kicks off an action film. Martin is in jail and is thrown into a crazy situation that involves his father and time travel, but first he must break out. There’s some plot points that are pretty easy to figure out where they may eventually go, but the series and story initially feels like an 80s action film, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s something that’s hard to get right, but Barbiere does so easily.
The art by Garry Brown and colorist Lauren Affe is solid. There’s some emotional moments and lots of action, and the two handle both really well. They capture the chaos of the moment and translate it well in the imagery on the page.
It’s a bit of humor that a comic about time travel has a retro action feel in so many ways. I myself grew up on those films and it’s a genre you actually don’t see as much anymore, so this is a fun return to that type of story. If you’re a fan like me, this is one to check out and I think Barbiere has another hit on his hands.
Story: Frank J. Barbiere Art: Garry Brown, Colorist: Lauren Affe
Story: 7.8 Art: 7.8 Overall: 7.8 Recommendation: Read
Aftershock Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Growing up, I was a big fan of epic novels, as just about every hero Joseph Campbell talking about in his classic tome, I have read, and Robert Howard was the master of epic hero odysseys in my young mind. He introduced worlds upon worlds of fully functional universes where man can be great no matter his circumstances. His sweeping books like Conan have been celebrated all over the world, engaging readers’ imagination with blood filled feuds and chain linked armor flailing from tale to tale. Not to say, that John Carter of Mars was not loved as much, but not as well known.
The Precinct #2 starts with a bang. Thrown straight into action with fire, peril and danger, Mortimer Hill is in a sticky situation. It’s a good job that he has the annoying Acolyte, Josephine Winters with him: although I don’t know if Hill would agree.
In the sprawling, steampunk metropolis of the big city, it’s up to one group to keep the peace and uphold the law-the officers of The Precinct! Mortimer Hill is a veteran officer who has busted his fair share of criminals, but when mechanical monsters start causing trouble he’ll need to use all his wits (and brawn!) to get to the heart of the mystery. Along with his new partner-a representative from the enigmatic Alchemy Academy-Mort will face the biggest case of his career-and the most dangerous!
Mystery. Suspense. Monsters. Packed full of drama this first issue lures the reader into a world of steam powered machines and murder. The main character has a duty to protect the city from attacks, but from who? The motives of the attacker are unknown, as is the identity, yet it is Mortimer Hill’s job to answer these questions, and more importantly, prevent an escalation.
Hidden deep beneath AREA 13 lies the clandestine headquarters of S.T.A.K.E.–a top secret division of S.H.I.E.L.D. housing aliens, mythical beasts, and all manner of extra-normal entities. Under the command of legendary soldier Dum Dum Dugan, these monsters step out of the shadows and defend the world against supernatural threats too dangerous for normal men as THE ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT HOWLING COMMANDOS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.!
