Publisher: Image Comics
Writer/Artist: Derek Kirk Kim
Release Date: 6th March 2024
Sometimes you come across a comic book idea that is just so damn bonkers that you get sucked in almost instantly. Post-apocalyptic setting: check (yawn, again). Unbelievably cute sidekick that you immediately don’t want to die: check (a bit of a trope, but if I’m honest, I like it already). A Mermaid in a water tank that’s also a vehicle that can turn into a robot: che.., wait, what?!
And that’s all it took. Add into that the water tank is slowly becoming more and more toxic, with no water for sight in miles in the desert wasteland. Yep, ok. You now have my (totally unexpected) attention. An idea like this is just the weird premise you hope will gain legs and grow.
Writer and artist Derek Kirk Kim (Flight, Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall) brings to life an idea he admits was born from a failed animated show pitch he made in the 2010s. It’s a very soft open – and I like that. It doesn’t try to overload you with story and exposition immediately. It is a gentle introduction, and the exquisite artwork makes it all the more beautiful. The contrast between the frames underwater against the firey background of the apocalyptic wasteland around almost feels hot and cold. The colour differential jumps out the page with contrasting frames, and the panels almost seem airbrushed and expressive. It’s a joy to the eye and adds to the story’s drama.
Rather than being heavy on text, Kim lets the artwork do much of the heavy lifting here, which really works. Urgency builds with each panel as you begin to realise just how urgent a situation our main character finds herself in, culminating in your standard cliffhanger. Even so, this comic already has me logging into Pullbox and adding it to my subs. I’ll admit, it’s been a wee while since I’ve had that exciting feeling about an original first-issue story. It’s nice to have it back.
[PREVIEW ARTWORK – CLICK TO ENLARGE]
The writer of this piece was: Andrew McGlinn
Andrew Tweets from @Jockdoom.
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