Strongarm #1 - #3 Image Comics

 

Every so often I believe a reviewer has to jump out of their element and try something they wouldn't normally be predisposed to read. I decided to take my own advice and read the first three issues of Image Comic's new title Strongarm.

 

Talking with Strongarm writer and co-creator Steve Horton, he convinced me to give the series a spin. Personally, I've never been a huge fan of manga or manga influenced art styles/storytelling. It's probably a case of my simply not finding the right property to get me excited by the genera.

 

That being the case, the bar was set high for this title so I thought it best to give the series three issues to work it's way into my reading stack. Did it make the cut for issue #4? Read on...

 

From the very first page of Strongarm #1, I was struck by the pace. It began with a blitz of sudden, in your face, action that seemed high on graphics and thin on story. Thankfully, I quickly learned that wouldn't be the case throughout the issue or the series. First impressions aren't always the best way to judge a title. Here, the pacing is a little more drawn out and non-sequential than you may expect from your standard comic series. Given a couple issues though, there is a thread which will take hold and just might catch your interest. Had I judged this series in one shot with issue #1, I might have been more dismissive of what the author was trying to do.

 

Giving the title that room to breathe over time proved to be a good thing. I found the characters to have more depth and page-by-page the story to begin to take shape and honestly did intrigue me. That willingness to hold a few things back on a freshmen title at Image was a bit of a daredevil move by Mr. Horton and his team, but I think given time the series will be the better for it.

 

Story-wise, we jump in without a net quickly playing catch-up through flashback sequences that flesh out the relationships between the principle characters. A couple pages in, the story begins to focus on two brothers, one working for the Overlord and one working for a resistance movement opposing the Overload. In very short order we see the villains emerge along with and a possible love interest (aka Lyndsey) for Strongarm (aka Rob).

 

Rob finds himself struggling to hold his will in check and overpower the technological arms which have grafted themselves to him following the initial battle of issue #1. The violence level, when scenes call for it, clearly takes this title out of the realm of a children's book in quick order. The narrative works hard to maintain the dept and perspective of a more adult audience targeted title.

 

The art here is really quite good. It is clearly manga-influenced, but as someone who's not a fan of that style, I found myself not really pulling away from it after the first few pages. It has a clear, concise feel that I found I really liked. The expression of the characters lends itself well to the overall tale and when the futuristic tech environment is shown, I think the story is all the better for it. I would like to see more of the scenic shots like those depicted in the initial issue as the series unfolds. It would be nice to get a more detailed look at the world in which these characters live. In any event, I think the art of David Ahn and the toning work of Ahn and Rhodan Belo really add to the story. They are good at balancing the interplay of science with the undercurrent of interpersonal communication that seems at the heart of this story.

 

Would I advise a reader to give this series a try? Certainly, but I would also advise that you not judge the title on the merits of a single issue. If you are going to pick it up, be sure to give it a couple issues before your render your own verdict. It walks away with my stamp of approval as a nice side title to try. It might just surprise you how much it catches your interest.

 

Where is the story heading from here? I believe the teaser page at the end of issue #3 sums it up well...

 

"Who is really behind the attempt on Rob's life that led to his disfigurement? Was it the Overlord, or someone else? In the penultimate chapter of the first Strongarm arc, mysteries are revealed, conspiracies are uncovered and Rob is pushed into a confrontation he never wanted! Not everyone's coming out of this one alive."

 

So, did this series work it's way into my reading stack? The answer is yes. I offer my welcome to Steve, David and the rest of the creative team on this title. You have a new reader.

 

Scale of 1 to 10 ... 6
May 3rd, 2007 ... Review by Chuck