Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: An elderly couple is driving home when they encounter a strange ship that’s not of this world. Said ship contains an infant with powers that defy mortal comprehension. That infant grows up into a being that is feared by some, revered by most, and becomes an icon worldwide. Where Napalm Lullaby #1 from Rick Remender, Bengal, and Rus Wooton diverges from that story is the draw of this comic. Instead of being a hero, this mysterious god – titled the Magnificent Leader – has formed a religion around himself. Two siblings with immense psychic power are determined to take him down.
Normally, a book by Remender has me hooked instantly; whether it was Tokyo Ghost, The Scumbag, or The Holy Roller each book has a distinct vibe that pulls the reader in. That…isn’t the case with Napalm Lullaby. It feels like Remender’s script is holding the reader at arm’s length – siblings Sarah and Sam get the bulk of the development throughout the issue but we don’t know much about the Magnificent Leader or why he imposes such fear. Remender hints that more development will come in future issues, yet the slow unspooling of information that benefitted The Sacrificers and The Holy Roller seems out of place here. The one exception is the opening sequence, which as previously mentioned takes the expected and turns it on its head.
No matter how one feels about the writing, Bengal’s art proves to be the real star here. From the first page to the last, Napalm Lullaby is packed full of imagery that hints at a unique kind of dystopia. Soldiers in powered armor teleport out of thin air, sending mechanized hounds after their prey. The priests that worship the Magnificent Leader are adorned with ornate golden crowns that resemble an angel’s halo. Even the inhabitants of this world vary in size, shape and facial features, to the point where Sarah and Sam are the only human beings on the page.
Speaking of Sam and Sarah, their designs are pretty amazing. Both cover their faces in different ways; Sam with a white mask that has a cartoonish face and Sarah with a jet black helmet. Not only does this help differentiate them from each other but it also helps them stand out in the Magnificent Leader’s world. In fact, with their darker clothing, Bengal makes sure to draw focus to them in the gray dilapidated world that they inhabit.
Napalm Lullaby #1 offers hints of a greater narrative, with its characters and artwork doing most of the work to keep readers invested. Perhaps future issues will dig deeper into the Magnificent Leader and why he poses such a threat, but this first issue made me feel like I was being held at arm’s length.
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