I’ve had to wait a couple of weeks to do a review of this comic because it kept selling out before I had a chance to read it. I was determined however to review this comic since it is the first title in the relaunch of the Atlas line of comics. Don’t get me wrong, I never read any of the titles from the original Atlas line that came out in the 70’s. I remember seeing them on the comic rack as a kid and they always looked like quality books. I would flip through them and the characters and stories would always intrigue me. Unfortunately, there was no way I could afford to pick-up any not on my limited kid’s budget. I was, after all, already trying to keep up with a dozen or so DC, Gold Key and Marvel titles.
It wasn’t until many years later that I learned the story behind the whole Atlas line of comics. I will not recount that story here because this is not the place for that I will just say that if you have any interest in comic history it is a story well worth reading. You can search for it online there are several different websites that recount the story in full. It is the fascinating story behind the original Atlas line, along with my memories of seeing them on the comic racks and some regrets, that I could not afford them at the time, which made me want to read and review this offering from the new Atlas.
The first issue was a very quick read and there is not a lot of story here. In fact, this #1 issue reads more like your typical #0 issue, setting things up for subsequent issues. I did like the artwork with its dark and bloody style; it is well suited to the story. The story itself was neither good nor bad; in fact there just was not enough for me to make that kind of judgment. There was enough to get me to give the second issue a try. Bottom line, if you are looking for a sword and sorcery fantasy to read go ahead and give this title a try but you are going to have to invest in at least the first two issues to get a real feel for this title.
Keith Forney