Of all the incredible lore in Blade Runner‘s two films, the fate of Las Vegas might be the most compelling. Enter Blade Runner Black Lotus: Las Vegas #1, out September 17th. This all-new series features a deadly Replicant combat model, Elle, also known as the Black Lotus Killer, who continues her search for answers about her mysterious past. Her journey takes her to the irradiated ruins of Las Vegas, now a sand-covered ghost town haunted by the aftermath of a dirty bomb, and later featured in Blade Runner 2049. If you’re looking for dark and gritty within the universe, you’ve come to the right place.
Blade Runner Black Lotus: Las Vegas #1 is very much a noir tale. It opens in a labyrinthian entryway at Wallace Corp HQ with a nice recap of who the main players are as characters walk and talk. They’re after Black Lotus, and they’re putting together a team. A motley crew, if you ever saw one, longtime readers of this series will be pleased to see Officer Davis is back, though the team certainly doesn’t like her.
Once the mission kicks into gear, the story takes a decidedly Mad Max vibe, complete with a train robbery. Writer Nancy A. Collins’ captions keep us up to date on Black Lotus and her journey, which leads to a dicey situation with marauders.
What’s her deal?
Credit: Titan
Artist Jesus Hervas keeps things gritty with his style, with cool-looking motorbikes and landscapes. The last three pages are stunning in particular, with the reveal of the team hunting Black Lotus as another key highlight. The various personalities are on full display and feel dangerous.
Something you’ll note when you put this first issue down is the general tone of this world. It’s dark, unforgiving, and manipulators are everywhere. Even though Las Vegas is uninhabitable by humans, you get the sense it’s one of the only places where one can be at peace. The noir tones come through strong, and one can see this easily translating to film or TV.
On another note, if you’re unfamiliar with these characters, the hook may be slightly lost on you. The story leans on characters like Davis and their struggle, but if you haven’t seen them in the anime show or comics, you might feel a bit left out.
Blade Runner Black Lotus: Las Vegas #1 is a gripping, atmospheric debut that adds depth to the franchise’s mythology with a gritty setting, stylish art, and a tense narrative. While longtime fans will get the most out of the returning characters and plot threads, the strong visuals and noir storytelling still make it a worthwhile entry point for curious newcomers.
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