Things are making more sense in this issue, but I’ll say this as someone that didn’t read the past few Valiant events or the one-shot that preceded this series, I’m still lost when extra details are brought up. It’s not so bad when the story focuses on the task ahead of it, but when it attempts to add to the future Valiant world. That’s when my head turns to the side a little.
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War-Mother... is just a weird combination of words to say together. Also, and I know this is shitty to bag on first, but that Mack cover isn’t good. The image is fine, but the font and everything else is at this point dated. The dude’s artwork hasn’t evolved, and so seeing this cover was like seeing a left over Daredevil cover from the heydays of Marvel’s rebound in comics.
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I enjoy the Archer and Armstrong side of the Valiant Universe, particularly for Armstrong and his brothers which are a great concept. Each of them being an Immortal, but living out the ages differently. This issue covers once such journey and is a reimagining of Gawain and the Green Knight or better yet an infusion of the story into the Valiant Universe.
Read MoreGrab the tallest ladder you can get your hands on because this story is getting deep. A little cheesy, but Lente keeps delivering a story that is honestly invigorating and keeps adding layer after layer. It is hard not to gobble up everything in this issue, with excellent artwork, incredible writing, and great story progression. Each character is getting a little bit of spotlight during this issue with a little background information, and personality development. This issue does a great job of not overwhelming the reader with new information, but rather gives the reader just enough to digest while also letting the reader feel good about knowing that more is coming with future issues.
Read MoreNew York Time’s best-selling writer Fred Van Lente delivers a mysterious, heart pounding comic series. Generation Zero as the series is called is also the name of a group of modified human beings grown in a secret lab. These individuals are supposed to be a myth, but as it turns out they are very much so real. Generation Zero if they find you worthy, and desperate enough, they will come to your aid and help you with whatever problem you have. As for the comic series main character, Keisha, she wants to know the mystery behind her boyfriend's sudden death. Picture a very high-tech, best of the best equipment, with essentially no anguish and that is the setting for this comic. Rook, Michigan used to be a worn down city with severe poverty, and now they are one of the most advanced cities in the entire world. Nobody is poor, everyone has jobs, people can afford to buy pretty much everything they need. Even with this fair distribution of wealth and the best technology, there is still a gap between citizens but in the form of popularity.
Keisha is an outcast amongst her school, along with a few other students and her boyfriend, Stephen. Stephen was a very intuitive guy, always questioning the status quo. This is likely what got him “killed” in the first place. When Keisha finds out about her boyfriend's passing, she turns to the only thing she thinks can help her, Generation Zero. Generation Zero is a very secretive group; they almost seem like a spy agency like in Mission Impossible. Keisha is contacted by Generation Zero who tells her that they will be in touch with her soon and for her to act normal.
At school, everyone is way more attentive to Keisha then normal. They invite her to a huge party, which is in memory of Stephen. Before heading to this party, Keisha receives a letter from Stephen which he mailed to her before he died. He told her he was onto something big and that she couldn’t trust anyone, not even her father. At the party, Keisha runs into a group of new kids she hadn’t met before. They said they were new to town, and they were starting school the next day. One of the new students Keisha finds to be a perfect male specimen with stunning looks. After being creeped out by one of the students, Keisha wanders off towards a lake where she is attacked by some faceless alien like creatures. Guess who comes to her rescue... Generation Zero.
Wow, I cannot wait for the next issues of this series. I don’t think I have ever actually read a story like this. Van Lente has done a great job creating a unique story line that actually leaves you wanting more pages at the end of this issue. This is definitely the kind of story I would binge read all day. You are really cheating yourself if you don’t read this comic. I loved the pacing, the backstory for characters was solid, and the change from internal dialogue to external was excellent. It is honestly a challenge finding anything I didn’t like about this issue. We have a solid main character and then we are introduced to a rather mysterious group that calls themselves Generation Zero, and the whole time you are just dying on the inside to know what this group is going to do to help out the main character. I hate the fact that I have to wait a few weeks to read the next issue.
On top of a fantastic, creative story, the art was done by Francis Portela, stands on its own as being incredible. A wide range of bright colors used to show detailed environments and also capture the raw emotion in the character’s faces. Same as the writing, there is nothing major wrong anywhere in this issue. If this duo of Francis and Fred keep up the level of work they put into this issue, there is no reason this can’t be one of the top standout comics of August. I look forward to reading more issues of Generation Zero, and I highly suggest everyone else gets on board with this series.
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Generation Zero #1 Writer: Fred Van Lente Artist: Francis Portela Publisher: Valiant Comics Price: $3.99 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital
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“I crave mental exultation. That is why I have chosen my own profession. Or rather created it, for I am the only one in the world.”
The above quote is mentioned in issue one of Dark Horse Comics’ new lovecraftian tale of monsters, bloody crime and mystery, and it so accurately reflects both the book and its main character Detective Sebastian Greene. Of course, he’s not really the hero here, the ancient alien creature inhabiting his body is…
His kind have existed for millennia as a collective consciousness, spanning out across the cosmos after the death of their world at the hands of the old gods, which definitely share more than a passing resemblance with The Great Cthulhu of Lovecraftian lore. Now he’s here in his brand new Detective Greene suit, his oddness repeatedly being passed off as him being merely “from Canada.” A below the belt quip I feel, but it does make you chuckle! It seems what happened to his world is now happening to Earth and he’s here to stop it with the aid of all his delightfully odd 
senses, he has 17 in total and they’re all more ridiculous than the last. But you will love them all I assure you.
Issue two picks up right where the previous instalment left off. Greene’s new partner Detective Sana Fayez had been told to keep an eye on him and in an attempt to dump this “dead weight” he led her into a trap. We open with her fighting off these would-be attackers in spectacular fashion and Greene learns that she could prove an ally in his cosmos spanning battle against evil. You see, something is draining people, leaving only their skin as a husk, they’ve been dubbed the “Juice Box” killer but ‘ole Detective Greene knows there’s more to the story. As the body count ratchets up, we see our ancient anti-hero slowly put the pieces together, ending up in rather hot water at the end.
If the content of Weird Detective wasn’t already thought-provoking and eye-poppingly wondrous enough, the art from Vilanova is superb. It’s playful and serious all at the same time, and Wallace’s colours really pile on the mood and crime noir vibe of the story. There’s a different feel from page to page, one moment you’re looking at a plain, subtly toned office and the next, you’re hit with bombastic, bright purple hues and neon glows, popping out from their black backdrops.
The lettering works well throughout the issue too, helping move the story along whilst providing some background and context to our protagonist. Some comics can run on for pages and pages with endless personal dialogue, which often pulls you out of the story, but Fred Van Lente has been nicely restrained here and the effect is brilliant.
This is a very grown-up book. The writing is a step above many others out there, including a number of Dark Horse’s own stories. For those fans of H.P Lovecraft’s twisted monster horror tales, Weird Detective will be an absolute must for you. Looking back there were even a few moments that reminded of Dick Tracy, those fantastic crime noir stories with all their bright neon suits and murder mystery thrills. The final result is one hell of a good read and I’m sure the best is yet to come. But it all begs one final question:
Will you join the collective and help Detective Greene defend the Earth?
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