Is he Jesus? Is he Robert E. Lee? Is he both? Jesus E. Lee fights to defend Richmond, VA from the evil onslaught of Angel Eyes. Witness the miraculous and more with the modern-retro thrillride that is, Jesus E. Lee!
When I first saw the interiors of Jesus E. Lee I immediately fell in love with the artwork. The series, created and art by Nick Justus, has a style and coloring evoking an earlier time in comics, a look that’s just awesome and combined with the character even more fitting. It really does fit the label of “modern-retro,” something I also think fits Richmond a bit as well. The story itself was fun, giving us a hero that was original and a setting you don’t see too often in comics Richmond, Virginia. Having only been to that town a few times, I wondered a bit about inside jokes. This is a straight up superhero comic series that’s fun and a bit retro in its style.
With the second issue, Jesus E. Lee continues to fight the good fight, but this time with a little help from Dick Fistus! With the threat of Grendel, and another impending dark force, can they save Richmond and the world from the Apocalypse?! The excitement picks up, the writing gets better, the art does too! The second issue introduces new series writer Jon Carroll, and colorist Christian Ruiz.
With the third issue the end is ever closer, as made evident by the arrival of Lilith, Legion, Goliath, and the Tarasque! Throw Cain and the possessed Danny and his zombie hoard in the mix, and you can’t help but wonder if our heroes will make it out alive! Armageddon Ahoy!
That second and especially third issue diverge from the first bringing the retro more in to modern times. The comic turns more into fights with numerous villains and allies thrown in to the mix. It’s all entertaining and fun. giving a nice alternative to the heroes the bigger publishers put out. It digs heavily into the Bible and the series Southern roots, mining both for interest material.
Overall, there’s something very fun about the comics. They’re serious and at the some time give a wink and poke fun at other hero comics. The first arc is chugging a long and it’ll be fun to see where the series goes in the long term. I do wish there was a bit more wink a nod jokes about the real life people this fictional character is named after, but the mix of the two is an interesting combination, especially given what the two represent. Hopefully we’ll see a bit more of that talked about, thrown in with Richmond, it’s a combination that’s too tempting not to do some commentary.
Overall, the series is a fun read and well worth checking out. The easiest venue is on comiXology for those comfortable with the digital route.
Story: Nick Justus and Jon Carroll Art: Nick Justus
Story: 7 Art: 7 Overall: 7 Recommendation: Buy
Jon Carroll provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review
