RUMBLE is the co-creation of writer John Arcudi and artist James Harren. Arcudi, well known for his HELLBOY universe contributions, SAVAGE WOLVERINE, and Eisener nominated THE CREEP, and Harren, also a fan favorite for his work on CONAN and BPRD, team up to bring a bizarro tale of a vengeful warrior who also happens to be a scarecrow, named Rathraq, on what will be revealed as a quest for vengeance.
The first issue of RUMBLE doesn't bother with a lot of expository world building. We are thrown right into the thick of it, which initially may be a little confusing, but it's apparent rather quickly that things will become more clear as the story progresses. Bobby the bartender serves a lone patron booze, in the rundown watering hole he calls his work place, which sits on the shadowy corner of a dystopian metropolis, deep in the throws of decay. When his customer pays his tab with a slip of paper he has scribbled mysterious runes on, and ends up running back into Bobby's bar, his arm hacked off after being attacked by an even more mysterious giant (who we'll come to know as Rathraq) wielding a massive sword, Bobby comes to the rescue, lopping the head off of the attacking 'thing". but when the police arrive, the armless victims body is gone, and the beast Bobby "killed" is revealed to be a man of straw.
After being ridiculed by the officers on the scene, Bobby keeps the attackers sword he finds a secret.
Soon, a couple of demons are coming to call, wanting the obviously mystical weapon, and they'll get it one way or the other.
We also meet other denizens of the nameless city. An old lady, with a what may or may not be a zombie cat. Two poverty stricken fisherman, who stumble upon a Golem like thing laying in the brackish waters of the marshlands on the city outskirts. Bobby's junk food eating, perpetually sleeping skinhead buddy.
These elements are of course all going to tie together in coming issues, and it looks like it's going to be one hell of a ride.
From the somber worn-down cityscapes, to the swooshing and sweeping action scenes, full of dramatic movement and masterful depth of field, Harren's paneling and layouts are full of life, really jumping off of the page at the reader, and sucking us into the strange and wonderful world Arcudi is spinning from his writers' pen. Then there are Dave Stewart's insane colors, which bring everything to vibrant four colored realization. I picked up RUMBLE on the basis of the collaborators' past work, which is some of my favorite stuff in modern comics. RUMBLE though, this in my opinion is them hitting a whole other level. Watching the team of Arcudi/Harren/and Stewart create something all their own, rather than playing in someone else's proverbial sandbox, is immensely pleasurable. RUMBLE is a comic you will read more than once. This could be the beginning of something very, very special. Image looks to have a monster, literally and figuratively, on their hands with this one. I can't wait for the next issue, and RUMBLE is definitely something I'll be having in my monthly save box at the local comics shop (which is Black Cat in Salt Lake City, to be clear!) if you like fantasy/action/urban horror, all served up with intelligence and humor...run don't walk. RUMBLE, to put it simply, kicks total ass.if you do the digital comics thing, you can order it HERE right now, directly from Image, and start reading asap!
From Image Comics website -
"Okay, so a scarecrow walks into a bar...and proceeds to wreak havoc across two worlds! After a long absence, Rathraq, Scarecrow Warrior God, is back—and very unhappy. Bad news for his old enemies, yes, but worse news for everybody else! JOHN ARCUDI and JAMES HARREN bring you a modern day action/adventure fantasy thriller where rundown dive bars, undead kitty cats, psycho skinheads, and giant mummies all play a part. It's Louis C.K. meets Robert E. Howard in a David Fincher universe."
Rating: 4.5 out 5
~Sean Smithson
No comments:
Post a Comment