I’m always interested in seeing how a new spin is put on a story we’ve seen many times before. In this case, an attempt to fix the ozone layer instead dooms the planet by enhancing sunlight so that it begins to torch anything it touches. In a move, nuclear weapons are set off which also slows the rotation of the Earth so that people can drive ahead of the sun and survive. The human population is now forever on the move attempting to escape a fate of fire in 78 MPH #1.

Written by Mauro Mantella, 78 MPH #1 is definitely entertaining in its turn your brain off and try not to think sort of way. It’s a B-movie concept, if that, ad that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s a goofiness about it all where it explains just enough about how the world has changed for readers to accept it and not really begin to think too much. It’s kind of brilliant in a way.

The debut issue is mostly written as a journal walking us through the world as it stands now. We get the situation, how everyone survives, and a sense of the obstacles in the way. Literally, the every moving city of cars is held up by rocks. Yes, that’s how simple the threat is. And when we get there, Mantella deftly builds up the tension leaving the reader to ponder where it’s all going to go with each panel.

The art by Tomás Aira is good. Aira is joined by Germán Nobile on color and together the style has dirty grimy aspect about it all. Like the concept itself, enough is teased to get you to accept this world. It’s a big moving group of cars but not much else is explained in how it all works. It just kind of is. There’s some very cool moments as the world burns but overall, it’s a style that’s not necessarily to my taste.

78 MPH #1 is a comic that almost dares you to not think too much about the details. It feels like a film pitched to Michael Bay or Roland Emmerich and even they said the concept was too far out there. I’m intrigued to see where it goes in further issues but right now it feels like a horror film where the sun is the stalker and those living are trying not to be hacked up. I want a bit more than that and here’s hoping the comic can deliver.

Script: Mauro Mantella Art: Tomás Aira
Color: Tomás Aira, Germán Nobile
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Red 5 Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review