There’s something about the psychotic biker trope in post-apocalyptic stories that never gets old. Image Comics’ new five-issue series Almighty by writer/artist Edward Larouche (The Warning) takes us to 2098’s Third World America where gangs and terrorists rule the land after a catastrophic environmental disaster hits the west coast. Almighty #1 tells the story of a young woman named Del who has been kidnapped by a malicious group of bikers. The beginning of the book starts with Del trying to escape her abductors while telling the reader her inner thoughts and a tiny bit of backstory.
I liked the first issue of Almighty #1. From the very first page, it makes you feel empathy for Del’s character. The dialogue amplifies this emotion by hearing Del say things like “I will not die here!” as we watch her try to sneak away from her captors while they’re asleep. The art complements this intense moment further by showing a missing finger bandaged with blood on it to convey to the reader that Del has been tortured. Each page after Del escapes transitions easily into the next and keeps you fully engaged from beginning to end.
In terms of the illustrations, Larouche knocks Almighty #1 out of the park, delivering an equal balance of violence and good storytelling. Larouche’s character designs blend well with the third-world America he’s created and colorist Brad Simpson’s color choices help bring the characters of Almighty to life. The gangs look intimidating with weird tattoos burned into their foreheads and bags tied over their heads, and letterer James Reed has fantastic positioning with the word balloons to make all the creepy gang members extra scary. In addition to that, the characters look rugged and worn out, especially Del who hopefully we learn more about exactly who she is as the story continues. One of my favorite pages of Almighty #1 occurs during an awesome panel sequence where someone is chasing Del. Things get insane really fast.
Overall Almighty #1 is a badass comic with a lot of promise. The story has heart, grit, good writing, and strong Mad Max vibes. The first issue is a quick read and immediately makes you want to read the next one. If you like action comics, add Almighty #1 to your pull list.
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