"Interceptor #1" Comic Review

Written by James Ferguson

Published by Heavy Metal

interceptor 1 00

Written by Donny Cates
Illustrated by Dylan Burnett
2015, 32 Pages

Review:

There are all kinds of sci-fi stories out there about how we advance as a species and get out into space to explore and colonize planets.  Usually it's a good thing.  What if we didn't leave for the final frontier to satisfy our own curiosity, but because we could no longer survive on Earth?  Interceptor looks not at something like the polar ice caps or whatever happened to Krypton.  No, the basis of this comic is something far cooler: Vampires.

Somewhere along the line, vampires came out of hiding and were preparing to knock humanity off the top spot of the food chain.  The human race did not put aside all differences and band together to reach the stars.  They did it to save their asses.  As one final middle finger to the vampires they were retreating from, the escaping humans blew up all of the nuclear weapons, effectively screwing over the planet for everyone remaining...except that wasn't enough.  Now the vampires are coming to space and they're looking for a side order of revenge with their blood meal.

So, what do we do when we find out the vampires are still alive on what's left of the planet Earth?  We send a specially trained officer to go in there and take care of the bloodsuckers once and for all.  Things get complicated though when she learns that vampires aren't the only things still breathing on the planet's surface.  

Click image to enlarge

This sounds pretty friggin' cool, right?  Interceptor has such a great premise that pulls you in from the get-go.  All of this is laid out within the first couple pages, but it doesn't come off as some boring exposition.  It's framed as some cabinet members explaining the truth behind their current situation to the new President.  It works incredibly well, thanks in no small part to writer Donny Cates' witty dialogue.  

Artist Dylan Burnett matches that dialogue with some sharp pencils and designs.  That new President?  He looks like he's about 12 years old (although the caption swears he's 65).  He acts the part though, eating chocolate to the point where it's smeared all over his face, while smoking a big cigar and acting like a petulant child.  His first reaction is to nuke the vampires.  Of course, that's how humanity got into this new mess to begin with.  

The designs are really top notch.  Burnett has some crazy awesome stuff in here, from the spaceship carrying the soldier to the vampires themselves.  Each is unique and sits in that sweet spot between sci-fi and horror.  The action scenes are tense, packed with energy.  There are these few pages where a horde of ticks (that look like little gremlins) are chasing someone down on a motorcycle while lasers fly every which way, incinerating everything they come into contact with.  In looking back at that last sentence, that might just be the most metal statement I've ever written in my life.  Engines revving.  Pulse pounding.  Monsters screaming.  Damn, this is exciting.  

Interceptor is a solid debut with an amazing story and killer artwork.  It seamlessly merges genres, blending the best elements of sci-fi, horror, action, and comedy in one melting pot of awesome. This first issue leaves things off with such a great hook that will have you clamoring for more.

Grades:

Story: fivestars
Art: fivestars
Overall: 5 Star Rating

 

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James Ferguson
Lord of the Funny Books
James has a 2nd grade reading level and, as a result, only reads books with pictures. Horror is his 5th favorite genre right after romantic comedy and just before silent films. No one knows why he's here, but he won't leave.
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