(W) Fred Kennedy (A) Nick Marinkovich (C) Jose Villarrubia (L) Andrew Thomas
The battle builds to its climax with the beleaguered Legions facing thousands of Germanic warriors fighting to free their homeland. Honoria races back to Rome, duty in her heart above Arminius.
With victory finally within his grasp, Arminius wonders what a throne is worth when you’re left to sit alone.
Variant covers by Nick Marinkovich, Rob Brunette, and Kalman Andrasofszky; edited by the Eisner and Schuster award-winning Allison O’Toole.
A new hero rises from mountains of consumer waste, mass homelessness, and devastating climate change. Some call the hero a myth, an urban legend, but others know that it’s the Junk Rabbit come to life! Described as “Swamp Thing meets RoboCop,” Junk Rabbit #1 is an interesting debut whose visuals stand out.
Jimmie Robinson handles the story and art for this series which takes Earth’s overflowing junk and makes it an extreme. Set in 2198, junk has overwhelmed the planet forcing the haves to head to space, those in the middle to find refuge under domes, and the have nots living in the garbage. It’s all an interesting concept that has a lot of work with and underneath feels like there’s a message.
The story revolves around an influencer who is killed by a mysterious character and the detective the influencer’s father has sent to bring in the murderer. There’s a lot Robinson dances around in the debut. There’s something clearly more about the Junk Rabbit than what’s initially talked about in the issue. It feels like that reveal will be the real driver of what’s to come for the series as a whole, the murder just gets the ball rolling.
The art is what really stands out here. There’s so much detail put in by Robinson. The visuals really tell so much of the world’s story as we get to see what people have put together from the junk to survive and what remains lying around. There’s also teases of the individuals under the dome and what’s shown there has a much greater story than what has been shown so far. The images will have you lingering on the pages, the art tells so much about the world.
Junk Rabbit #1 is an interesting start. It doesn’t quite excite but there’s something there, lots of potential to be had. If nothing else, the visuals are top notch and really shine.
A new hero rises from mountains of consumer waste, mass homelessness, and devastating climate change. Some call the hero a myth, an urban legend, but others know that it’s the JUNK RABBIT come to life!
JIMMIE ROBINSON brings a new take to the dystopian tale of how climate disaster alters not only our world, but also the heroes that literally rise from it. Swamp Thing meets RoboCop.
A new hero rises from mountains of consumer waste, mass homelessness, and devastating climate change. Some call the hero a myth, an urban legend, but others know that it’s the JUNK RABBIT come to life!
JIMMIE ROBINSON brings a new take to the dystopian tale of how climate disaster alters not only our world, but also the heroes that literally rise from it. Swamp Thing meets RoboCop.
This cover is cooler than anything that happens in the comic.
In 9 CE, an alliance of Germanic tribes led by Arminius defeated three Roman legions and halted the Roman Empire’s expansion into what is now modern day Germany. The new Image Comics series Dead Romansfrom writer Fred Kennedy and artist Nick Marinkovich attempt to retell this epic historical underdog story, but stumbles in characterization and pacing. However, the art is glorious and evokes Heavy Metal and Conan, especially with Villarrubia’s color palette even if the the fight sequences (With one notable exception) are choppy and lack a flow that gets you immersed in the story and setting.
If you’re thinking about reading Dead Romans, reading the Wikipedia page for Arminius and/or the Battle of Teutoberg Forest would be a smart move. Kennedy and Marinkovich don’t do a great job of contextualizing their story beyond some captions about being deep in Augustus’ reign as Roman emperor, and Rome bringing a lot of legions to put down a Germanic uprising. I definitely applaud a show, not tell approach, but Dead Romans #1 doesn’t give a lot of reasons to care about Arminius and his whole situation beyond the Romans having the woman he loves, Honoria, and that he’s also working for them for some reason. Now, I know a little bit about Roman history from taking Latin courses in university (But, honestly, mainly from the Starz Spartacus show) and know that the Roman legions were often supported by auxiliary forces of non-Roman citizens in their various conquests.
However, this isn’t really explained in the comic nor is Arminius’ motivation for fighting against the Romans and his relationship with Honoria. Fred Kennedy and Nick Marinkovich do succeed in showing Arminius’ tactical brilliance (Mainly through dialogue), and their lack of establishing panels actually creates a bit of dark humor when the Roman commander completely misreads that the Germanic tribes are doing textbook guerrilla warfare on them. Big empires and dense forests tend not to work out, in both fact and fiction. But, by the end of the book, there isn’t a lot of psychological insight into the characters, it’s just a flashy retelling of history with some generic thriller elements.
And, honestly, in many cases, it’s okay to have a story that is all visceral action and doesn’t dig particularly deep into its character. However, Dead Romans fails as an action book too. Nick Marinkovich and Jose Villarrubia’s visual style is definitely cool. As mentioned earlier, there’s a little Heavy Metal in it and echoes of more contemporary cartoonists like Stephanie Hans and Rod Reis. I wasn’t really able to connect to the characters via facial expressions, but there are some fun visual flourishes like letterer Andrew Thomas’ sound effects when the Germanic tribes and the Romans throw down for the first time. But the brevity and awkward layouts and page turns for these action scenes hinder their momentum. For example, early in the book, Honoria is talking to a Roman leader who wants to marry her and take her away from everything. (Think Dirty Dancing with a gladiuses.) Then, the Germans attack taking up space under their conversation, which for some reason is a double page spread. Flipping to this page and seeing the attack already distracts from their chat, and then the battle wraps up rather quickly on the next page with Honoria passing out “dead” and not really showing any of the combat between the Romans and Germans. She’s just a victim, and Kennedy and Marinkovich are on to a character they care about more, Arminius. (And he’s good at fighting, but honestly comes across as a bark-y middle manager.)
As well as having issues with its storytelling style, Dead Romans #1’s sole named female character, Honoria, exists only to service the plot, including a cliffhanger that is just a repeat of a page midway through the comic when she’s crawling through the wreckage. Hey, at least, Dead Romans didn’t pull a Spartacus or Gladiator and kill one of their key female characters in the first act. Both Germanic and Roman societies were patriarchal, but one great thing about writing stories set in the past during our current time is recontextualizing them and giving voices to folks who were ignored by the writers and historians of their day. Sadly, Honoria doesn’t get this treatment and definitely fails what Kelly Sue DeConnick calls the “sexy lamp test”. Seriously, she could have been replaced with some of kind of cool sword, an important hill, or a father’s dying wishes.
Although Dead Romans is based on a badass historical event, it sadly doesn’t live up to the hype or the sheer metal quality of its title. Featuring thin characterization, truncated fight scenes, and lack of context about the the twilight years of the Pax Romana and the role its characters play in it, it ends up not having much to offer fans of Roman history or general interest readers.
Story: Fred Kennedy Art: Nick MarinkovichLetters: Andrew Thomas Story: 5.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 6.0 Recommendation: Pass
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Dead Romans is an all-new six-issue swords-and-sandals series from Image Comics’ Shadowline imprint. Written by Fred Kennedy, with art by Nick Marinkovich, colors by José Villarrubia and letters by Andrew Thomas, readers will follow the harrowing events in the Battle of Teutoburg Forest, the most decisive loss in Roman military history—and the victory that reshapes the people of Germania.
Arminius has fought for Rome long enough. He is a German by birth, and now that he serves as advisor to the Roman governor of Germania, he sees firsthand the cruelty Rome has inflicted on his people. So he hatches a plan to unite the Germanic tribes, confront Rome’s army in a carefully planned attack, and reclaim Germania for its people.
But Arminius’s plan is complicated by Honoria, the woman he loves. She serves the Roman governor; she is faithful and loyal to Rome. For Arminius’s victory to have any meaning, she must accept his actions and remain at his side as his queen. But when the fighting starts, will she choose love over empire?
With four different variant covers by artists including Nick Marinkovich, Adam Gorham, and Cary Nord, as well as a limited print sketch cover.
Dead Romans #1 drops in shops March 1st. Edited by Eisner and Schuster award-winning Allison O’Toole.
Fan-favorite creator Jimmie Robinson puts a new spin on a dystopian tale of climate disaster in the upcoming Junk Rabbit. This all-new ongoing series will launch from Image Comics and Shadowline Comics in April 2023.
In Junk Rabbit, a new hero rises from heaps of consumer waste, mass homelessness, and devastating climate change. Some call the hero a myth, an urban legend, but others know that it’s the Junk Rabbit come to life—and now it’s on a bloody path of revenge against those who created it.
This new enviro-thriller explores a worst-case-scenario that alters not only our world and the heroes that literally rise from its ashes—but also how one family can change the future by unlocking the secret of the Junk Rabbit.
Junk Rabbit #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, April 5:
Cover A by Robinson – Diamond Code FEB230031
Cover B by Robinson – Diamond Code FEB230032
Cover C by Robinson – Diamond Code FEB230033
Cover D by Robinson – Diamond Code FEB230034
Cover E blank sketch cover – Diamond Code FEB230035
Writer Fred Kennedy and artist Nick Marinkovich team up for an all-new historical fiction adventure in the upcoming Dead Romans. This six issue miniseries is set to launch in March 2023 from Shadowline and Image Comics.
In Dead Romans, lush, beautiful illustrations bring to life a brutal tale of love and war from the birth of the Roman Empire. the Empire that butchers his people. He wants to make a queen of the woman he loves, Honoria, a fellow slave. Now, fifty thousand Romans will die to give her a throne she never asked for…or wanted.
Dead Romans #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, March 29:
Cover A by Marinkovich – Diamond Code JAN230037
Cover B by Marinkovich – Diamond Code JAN230038
Cover C by Cary Nord – Diamond Code JAN230039
Cover D by Adam Gorham – Diamond Code JAN230040
Cover E by Marinkovich – Diamond Code JAN230041
Cover F Blank Sketch cover – Diamond Code JAN230042
Brian Haberlin and Geirrod Van Dyke are back with an all-new, high fantasy adventure in, The Last Barbarians. This ongoing series is set to launch from Image Comics and Shadowline in February 2023.
You’d think in a fantastic world full of giants, magic, and flying fish, it would be a world of possibility. But you’d be dead wrong here! Sylv is a jack of all trades; she can fight with the best of them, pick most pockets, and even cast a third-level spell or two. It’s too bad for her that if you aren’t a member of a guild, you are persona non grata: completely outcast from adventuring. That might be fine, except she has her disabled seven-foot-tall brother to take care of. If she can’t find a job to support them both, they’ll be dead in a ditch in a matter of weeks. So now her only hope is a quest from a sketchy cleric who promises only a true hero can save the day. Sylv has a lot of skills…and she’ll need them all to survive this hero’s journey!
The Last Barbarians #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, February 15:
Cover A by Haberlin – Diamond Code DEC220116
Cover B by Haberlin – Diamond Code DEC220117
Cover C by Haberlin – Diamond Code DEC220118
Cover D by Haberlin – Diamond Code DEC220119
Cover E by Haberlin – Diamond Code DEC220120
Cover F Blank Sketch Cover – Diamond Code DEC220121
Fan-favorite creative duo Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli reteam for an all-new fantasy series in The Least We Can Do. This ongoing series will launch from Image Comics and Shadowline in September.
Mysterious magical power arises from a world nearly destroyed by war. A young woman fights for her ideas of revolution and to build a new society from the debris. Realizing that she can’t do it alone, she has to prove her worth to the Eclipse Rebels to join them against the dreadful Eden Army.
A story of discovering what is right and what love means in a military-occupied and socially oppressed United Kingdom.
The Least We Can Do #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 14:
The Least We Can Do #1 Cover A Romboli – Diamond Code JUL220067
The Least We Can Do #1 Cover B Romboli – Diamond Code JUL220068
The Least We Can Do #1 Cover C Romboli – Diamond Code JUL220069
The Least We Can Do #1 Cover D Blank Cover – Diamond Code JUL220070
