Escape #3
(W) Rick Remender (A) Daniel Acuña
Pinned down, outgunned, and running on fumes, Milton Shaw makes a desperate push across enemy lines — with a squad of Narenian soldiers and a relentless bruiser on his heels. Trapped between a dam and a detonator, Milton’s last shot at survival is running out fast.
The debut issue of hot new series Escape—by Uncanny Avengers duo Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña—has sold out yet again at the distributor level. Escape #1 is being fast-tracked for a reprint this week by Image Comics in order to keep up with the escalating demand.
Set in a brutal, fully painted world of anthropomorphic animals—think Inglourious Basterds meets Blacksad—Escape is a gritty, bullet-riddled journey through war’s scorched aftermath. It’s about the violence we inflict, the souls we try to save, and the courage it takes to crawl out of fire.
Escape follows Milton Shaw, a battle-hardened bomber pilot flying missions over a war-torn world ruled by a ruthless empire. But when his plane is shot out of the sky, Milton wakes up behind enemy lines—in the smoldering ruins of a city he helped burn. And in less than 24 hours, his own side is dropping the big one to finish the job.
Now injured, unarmed, and being hunted through enemy streets, Milton’s only shot at escape comes from the unlikeliest place: a grieving father and his son—civilians shattered by the same fascist regime that rules this land with an iron claw. Enemies by blood. Allies by circumstance. Together, they’ll have to fight their way out before the bomb drops and erases everything…and everyone.
Escape #1, third printing (Lunar Code 0825IM8389) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, October 29.
Wounded, hunted, and running out of time, Milton Shaw has one shot left to change the course of the war: destroy the Titan Cannon before his own side drops the bomb. But as enemy patrols close in and memories of the life he left behind threaten to break him, the mission becomes more than survival—it’s redemption.
Story: Rick Remender
Art: Daniel Acuña
Color: Daniel Acuña
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.
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The Seasons #8
(W) Rick Remender (A) Paul Azaceta
Spring unlocks a weapon that might finally turn the tide — but saving the world means teaming up with the last person she wants by her side. Meanwhile, Winter is lured into a fantasy where her work is celebrated and her pain erased… at a cost she won’t see until it’s too late.
Inventory of last week’s high-impact series launch of Escape—from the elite creative unit behind Uncanny Avengers, Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña—has been obliterated at the distributor level. Escape #1 is being rushed back to print under emergency orders from Image Comics this week to meet the incoming barrage of reorder fire.
Set in a brutal, fully painted world of anthropomorphic animals—think Inglourious Basterds meets Blacksad—Escape is a gritty, bullet-riddled journey through war’s scorched aftermath. It’s about the violence we inflict, the souls we try to save, and the courage it takes to crawl out of fire.
Escape follows Milton Shaw, a battle-hardened bomber pilot flying missions over a war-torn world ruled by a ruthless empire. But when his plane is shot out of the sky, Milton wakes up behind enemy lines—in the smoldering ruins of a city he helped burn. And in less than 24 hours, his own side is dropping the big one to finish the job.
Now, injured, unarmed, and being hunted through enemy streets, Milton’s only shot at escape comes from the unlikeliest place: a grieving father and his son—civilians shattered by the same fascist regime that rules this land with an iron claw. Enemies by blood. Allies by circumstance. Together, they’ll have to fight their way out before the bomb drops and erases everything…and everyone.
Escape #1, second printing is in shops September 24, the same day as Escape #2.
Escape #1
(W) Rick Remender (A) Daniel Acuña
SHOT DOWN. HUNTED. OUT OF TIME. THE NEW ONGOING TWO-FISTED WAR EPIC FROM REMENDER & ACUÑA STARTS HERE.
From the creative team of New York Times bestselling author RICK REMENDER (DEADLY CLASS, Uncanny X-Force) and powerhouse DANIEL ACUÑA (Captain America, Black Panther) — the duo behind Marvel’s Uncanny Avengers — comes a savage, full-throttle wartime thriller where survival isn’t given… it’s taken.
Milton Shaw is a battle-hardened bomber pilot, flying missions over a war-torn world ruled by a ruthless empire. But when his plane is shot out of the sky, Milton wakes up behind enemy lines — in the smoldering ruins of a city he helped burn. And in less than 24 hours, his own side is dropping the big one to finish the job.
Now, injured, unarmed, and being hunted through enemy streets, Milton’s only shot at escape comes from the unlikeliest place: a grieving father and his son — civilians shattered by the same fascist regime that rules this land with an iron claw. Enemies by blood. Allies by circumstance. Together, they’ll have to fight their way out before the bomb drops and erases everything… and everyone.
Set in a brutal, fully painted world of anthropomorphic animals — think Inglourious Basterds meets Blacksad — ESCAPE is a gritty, bullet-riddled journey through war’s scorched aftermath. It’s about the violence we inflict, the souls we try to save, and the courage it takes to crawl out of fire.
Milton Shaw is a battle-hardened bomber pilot, flying missions over a war-torn world ruled by a ruthless empire. But when his plane is shot out of the sky, Milton wakes up behind enemy lines—in the smoldering ruins of a city he helped burn. And in less than 24 hours, his own side is dropping the big one to finish the job. Escape #1 is a familiar war story with characters that aren’t exactly human.
Written by Rick Remender with beautiful art by Daniel Acuña, Escape #1 is a solid entry for those who enjoy war stories. A bombing raid goes wrong with a plane shot down and a crew member trying to survive behind enemy lines. It’s not a complicated story and it’s one we’ve seen many times before. But, Escape #1 presents it all in a solid issue that delivers enough that it’s not just a war story with animals acting human.
Escape #1 anthropomorphizes the characters with various types of dogs battling it out. The series doesn’t split factions out as different types of animals like the recent Animal Pound or the classic Maus, but I’m sure there’s more that can be read into what type of dog was chosen for each role. Where Remender’s writing really stands out is the drama but also the chatter as the crew travels to their bombing target. They debate how a nation can fall into tyranny, how fascism could have so easily taken root in Nazi Germany or how it’s currently taking root in the United States, and elsewhere, today. As they get closer to their target they debate what they would do in the situation and it’s clear the one remaining soldier has a to decide if he’ll stand up to tyranny and try to complete his mission or if he’ll decide to try and escape and survive. It moves from words to action.
Acuña’s art is as great as expected. With lettering by Rus Wooton, the comic has Acuña’s flair but feels like a modern gritty war movie in a World War II setting. I’m sure there’s something to the types of dogs chosen, but I don’t have enough knowledge to really weigh in on that. But, the comic’s art doesn’t feel like the sweeping epic of modern war films like Saving Private Ryan, but instead a bit more intimate and in a way grittier affair.
Escape #1 is a great start and a comic that fans of war comics should pick up and enjoy. Though it features characters that look like dogs, there’s an emotional punch to the story with a focus on details and a tension that makes it gripping.
(W) Rick Remender (A) Daniel Acuña
(C) Daniel Acuña (L) Rus Wooton
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
The Seasons #7
(W) Rick Remender (A) Paul Azaceta
As the ringleader’s twisted carnival spreads its infectious gospel of ego, the city descends into a dreamlike delusion. Winter and Autumn stand alone against a world too entranced to fight back. How do you battle an evil that everyone else welcomes with open arms?
Escape #1
(W) Rick Remender (A) Daniel Acuña
SHOT DOWN. HUNTED. OUT OF TIME. THE NEW ONGOING TWO-FISTED WAR EPIC FROM REMENDER & ACUÑA STARTS HERE.
From the creative team of New York Times bestselling author RICK REMENDER (DEADLY CLASS, Uncanny X-Force) and powerhouse DANIEL ACUÑA (Captain America, Black Panther) — the duo behind Marvel’s Uncanny Avengers — comes a savage, full-throttle wartime thriller where survival isn’t given… it’s taken.
Milton Shaw is a battle-hardened bomber pilot, flying missions over a war-torn world ruled by a ruthless empire. But when his plane is shot out of the sky, Milton wakes up behind enemy lines — in the smoldering ruins of a city he helped burn. And in less than 24 hours, his own side is dropping the big one to finish the job.
Now, injured, unarmed, and being hunted through enemy streets, Milton’s only shot at escape comes from the unlikeliest place: a grieving father and his son — civilians shattered by the same fascist regime that rules this land with an iron claw. Enemies by blood. Allies by circumstance. Together, they’ll have to fight their way out before the bomb drops and erases everything… and everyone.
Set in a brutal, fully painted world of anthropomorphic animals — think Inglourious Basterds meets Blacksad — ESCAPE is a gritty, bullet-riddled journey through war’s scorched aftermath. It’s about the violence we inflict, the souls we try to save, and the courage it takes to crawl out of fire.
Grommets concludes in a bittersweet manner as Rick must sadly leave his punk skater buddies and potential interest Samra behind in Sacramento while his dad moves his family to Phoenix quicker than he anticipated. Writers Rick Remender and Brian Posehn and artists Brett Parson and Moreno Dinisio capture the happy/sad feeling of one last epic time with good friends before moving far away, and it’s cool to see the leaps and bounds that Rick and Brian have taken in improving their skating abilities although they are treated as town pariahs after the unfortunate events of the previous issue’s party. Grommets #7 nails what made this series so relatable and engaging with commentary on punk culture, a healthy sense of ACAB, and lots of messy teenage feelings.
Brett Parson’s art that is full of detail without sacrificing motion or storytelling is pure chef’s kiss in Grommets #7. Each panel is like a story in miniature. For example, I love seeing Rick’s friends’ reaction to him fumbling Samra, and there’s a real fluidity to the skating scenes in this issue compared to the unsteady bursts of pain and blood earlier in the series. The speed lines and letterer Russ Wooton’s sound effects add to the authenticity of the story, and you can almost smell the sweat coming down Rick and family’s faces when they move to the “dry heat” of Phoenix towards the end of the story. Also, as a comics/classic punk geek, Brett Parson gets all the band logos correct, and it’s interesting to see the correlation between the band’s image and sound and the characters’ personality. Of course, the Misfits fan pulls the jock’s still-beating heart out of his chest in an early fantasy sequence. To top things off, Dinisio keeps his color palette at a happy medium between photorealism and a Saturday morning cartoon while throwing in some fun flourishes like pink for Rick’s first kiss and a fade to black to finish things off.
In addition to the usual fun banter between Rick and Brian, Grommets #7 explores some interesting themes like police corruption and gatekeeping in subcultures. After the aforementioned fantasy sequence, the Sacramento County PD gaslight and blame the violent actions at the party on Rick, Brian, and their friends instead of the violent, rapey football players. Remender and Posehn’s dialogue for the cops is infuriating and all-too realistic even with Rick’s straight-laced father appearing with the boys and arguing their case, especially the bullet holes on his vehicle. The interaction shows the need for alternative spaces for folks to be and express themselves without fear of reprisal from authorities or the “majority”. However, in Grommets #7’s coda, they turn this dynamic on its head when the skaters in Phoenix don’t accept Rick and Brian (Oh yeah, he ends up moving to Phoenix too aka can you say possible sequel hook?) even though Rick is wearing a Black Flag T-shirt while Black Flag is playing. It wasn’t as big in the 1980s as it is today, but there are definitely folks in punk spaces who want to capitalize monetarily on the music and aesthetic for fame and fortune. However, these are just a couple of kids trying to fit in and looking for connections even if that involves a “skate or die” type of situation.
Grommets #7 is a beautifully rendered conclusion to Rick Remender, Brian Posehn, and Brett Parson’s scrappy coming of age story about being a skate punk in the 1980s. I could spend 70 more issues watching these crazy kids grow up, find new bands, learn new skate tricks, and getting into wild, retro-tinged shenanigans together. The letterhack who compared this book to Freaks and Geeks is absolutely true, and this is a comic whose collected edition I’ll definitely recommend to my fellow Jorts Fest attendees.
Story: Rick Remender and Brian Posehn Art: Brett Parson
Colors: Moreno Dinisio Letters: Rus Wooton
Story: 8.5 Art: 9.2 Overall: 8.9 Recommendation: Buy
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
