Life has a funny way of kicking you even when you’re down. In Chariot #1 by Bryan Edward Hill, Priscilla Petraites, and Marco Lesko we meet Jim, an ex-con in the midst of turning his life around. Jim even manages to get a legitimate gig at a junkyard called Flynn’s Salvage where he gets paid by the pound to break down cars for parts. But just when things start looking up for Jim, his kid gets diagnosed with a kidney problem. Left with no other alternative, Jim looks to borrow money for medical expenses from dangerous people to whom he already owes money. Little does he know his saving grace may come in the form of a mysterious muscle car that just arrived in the lot.
Chariot #1 gets the series off to a great start. There’s gunfire, hot pursuit chases, and a badass heroine’s consciousness stuck inside of a highly advanced automobile. What more could you ask for? The story feels like The Wraith meets Knight Rider. The writing is simple and lays everything in front of the reader right away. When you take a deeper look, it’s a story about redemption and wanting to have meaning and purpose.
In terms of the characters, they feel genuine and the dialogue is concise and to the point. The plot of Jim’s kid being sick and him needing to come up with funds is both relatable and sympathetic, which will get most readers behind the character. There’s a lot of mystery and intrigue surrounding the supercar element of the story, but Hill gives us just enough thrills to make us want to come back for the second issue.
The artwork in Chariot has a sharp and inventive edge to it that compliments the story nicely. The character designs and detail are freaking amazing all the way down to the hairs on Jim’s arms. One of the best examples of this factor comes in the form of our first glimpse under the hood of Chariot the futuristic car. Colorist Marco Lesko brings it all home with an array of color choices that add just the right touch of illuminating pizzazz to the book.
Chariot #1 has loads of potential. There’s still a lot of unanswered questions going forward that I’m sure we’ll learn as the story progresses. Good writing, awesome illustrations, this is easily a book that will appeal to action comic readers. Make sure to grab yourself a copy of Chariot #1 during your next trip to your local comic shop.
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