There are some pretty new comics companies that are producing quality storytelling, I’m happy to say. One of those is Caut!onary Comics, and the first book of theirs I’ve read I discovered recently at Savannah Comic Con when I talked with Ben Henderson.
It’s for mature readers, but it is a gripping story that you can’t put down once you start to read it!
RAVAGE #1
Writers: Chuck Dixon, Benjamin L. Henderson
Artist: Jimbo Salgado
Colorist: Bryan Arfel Magnaye
Published by: Caut!onary Comics
Cover price: $3.00
SOLICITATION: Two Army Veterans crash in a mystical jungle populated by a lost tribe of TOXIC Women that hunt MEN!
KILL ALL MEN!
That above catchline is an interesting one because the majority of comics readers and buyers tend to be, well, men! When there’s a voluptuous female after the guys, we’re kind of torn. We don’t want her to kill us, but… .
It should also be pointed out that Chuck Dixon and the aforementioned Mr. Henderson worked together on this comic and story. I’ve read enough of his work to know that when you see Mr. Dixon’s name somewhere on a book, you buy it, especially if you want great storytelling!
There are two main characters in this title. First is Manny Mendez, one of the “guns for hire.” Then there’s Randall Gunn, named appropriately enough, who works with Manny. They crash-land near what seems to be an Amazon-like nation filled with warrior women, which doesn’t go unnoticed by the two “soldier for hire” men. They discover the women’s leader named Spain, who has plans for these two that may not be to their liking.
The characters are fascinating, and the plotting moves at quite a rapid clip. We rarely stay in one place very long. And we find out that Spain may be up to no good, at least as far as the “world of men” is concerned.
There are several covers available for this kick-off issue, but the one I liked best had the first female fighter they encounter, who just happens to be blonde, riding a big panther surrounded by soldiers. And she’s yelling, of course, “KILL ALL MEN!!”
If it weren’t for Dixon’s strong characterization skills, this could degenerate into an old “B” movie pretty quickly. However, even with limited time to get to know the various players, we come to feel we have a good handle on them all very quickly.
There are some adult allusions in the text particularly, so this book and probably the rest of the series won’t be for the young readers. Adults, particularly males, will enjoy the sexual jargon as well as the situations. You bet they will!
I have a feeling our two guys are in for quite the shock when Spain begins to “interrogate” them. But that’s for the next issue.
‘RAVAGING’ ART
As usual, I always want to compare two aspects of art when I review a comic: Character and their expressions, and action sequences. In this title, the facial expressions work extremely well, and when action starts to take place, it’s very clear and understandable. Both are strong in this book.
The one thing that might put some readers off is that the pages inside the inside and outside covers is a type of newsprint paper. I mean, it’s entirely readable, but some folks prefer slick, glossy paper for printing a comic. You don’t have that here, so I’m hoping the story will carry you into the book.
KILL ALL MEN? REALLY?
You know, if you’ve read any of Dixon’s stories before, that this is only the first layer to the story. He’s got plenty planned for the entire cast, and we’ll discover what’s really going on very soon!
It’s adventure, it’s action, and it’s fun, so male readers (and I think many female readers as well) will really enjoy this book. It’s different, and in a good way, so I highly recommend it!
Now is the perfect time to jump on board, but getting this new comic may take an investment of time! You can go to their website at cautionarycomics.com and check out their store (which has several new comics on the way), or you can catch up with Benjamin Henderson (or Mr. Dixon, I hope) at local cons to see if they haven’t sold out of their copies yet. It’ll be worth the effort, believe me!
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