Review: BOOK OF DEATH #1
Story: Robert Venditti
Art: Robert Gill with Doug Braithwaite
Color: David Baron with Brian Reber
Letters: Dave Lanphear
Design: Dylan Todd
Publisher: Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics has been laying the seeds for Book of Death – their 2015 summer event series, since the launch of #ValiantFirst and The Valiant. The Valiant focused on the Geomancers and their connection to the Earth. And how after the murder of a Geomancer, the Earth is plunged into another era of a dark age.
Now comes Tama, a Geomancer from the future. With a book that foretells the end of the Valiant Universe. And how all of it’s heroes (and villains) died.
What I Liked
Robert Venditti makes Book of Death #1 is new reader accessible, which is prudent for summer events that are intended to bring in a new audience. The main plot points are explained clearly, and not once come across as confusing. There is a large cast to juggle. Thankfully, Venditti handles it properly.
The different jumps in time are a nice story element. We go back a few months to see someone who appears to be the new current day Geomancer, a child named David. Then we jump to the present, and catch up with the Eternal Warrior and the Geomancer from the future, Tama. They are on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of David and an unknown person pulling David’s strings. Could it be The Immortal Enemy from The Valiant?
Speaking of visions from the past and present, we also see flashes of the future, as told from the Book of Death. We see Divinity, Imperium, and what I’m assuming is robots or armor from last year’s summer event, Armor Hunters. There were other characters shown that sparked my curiosity…..the Outcast, the Visitor, the Torment, and a group called the Beast Brigade. And was that the goat from Quantum & Woody in Beast Brigade?
I love the comic relief that Ninjak provides. Seeing the Unity team together (minus Gilad) was a welcome sight. They mesh well together, with Livewire being the steady leader and Ninjak being the realist.
Robert Gill, Doug Braithwaite, David Baron, Brian Reber, and Dave Lanphear provide art duties. The image above was a nice visual layout to display how death and violence seems to follow around Gilad and Tama as they run from David. The heroes of the Valiant Universe come across as stoic and battle-ready when necessary (glimpses seen in Book of Death). David and his puppeteer are dark, ominous and spooky.
What I Didn’t Like
I wish there was a quick explanation of how the Geomancer from the future came to the present. Was that story told in a comic that already took place?
Timdogg
#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE
