Death or Glory #1 Review
Image Comics
Written by Rick Remender
Art by Bengal
48 pages, $4.99
Solicit: Meet Glory, raised off the grid in a convoy amid truckers-the last men and women fighting for true freedom on the American open road. Now, in order to pay for her beloved dying Father’s surgery, Glory has three days to pull off four dangerous cross-country heists with mob killers, crooked cops, and a psycho ex-husband all out to bring her in or die trying.
The new ongoing series by New York Times bestselling author RICK REMENDER and legendary French superstar BENGAL brings you a high-speed chase across the American West that examines our dwindling freedoms and the price paid by those who fight for an untethered life, in this special double-sized first issue with 40 pages of story!
Rick Remender is a made man in the comics industry in the sense that when you see his name on a cover, you buy the damn comic. He’s written some of my favorite comics for years now but Remender always truly shines on his creator-owned work.
Here he teams with the artist known only as Bengal for a story that’s equal parts Road House and your favorite car chases in the Fast and Furious movies.
Glory, our main character is preparing for a heist with the best of intentions, to save her adopted father’s life behind the wheel of what looks to be a late 60’s Chevy Mustang.
Here Remender pairs up with the artist known only as Bengal whose been doing amazing work for years now. My only complaint is dude doesn’t work enough.
Bengal’s thin line detailed art packs this issue with action during insane car chases, something that’s famously difficult to portray in comics I might add. Bengal is also handling the color duties here and his bright color palette gives the story the slick look of a Tony Scott film. But he’s not just great on the action. Bengal packs this story with emotion, particularly in a scene where Glory is preparing for her caper and vomits from her nerves.
As I read it the story seemed a little thin but by the time it was over I realized Glory or Death is supposed to be a gasoline-soaked romp through somewhere in the middle of nowhere USA. Death or Glory was a ridiculously action-packed story of street justice and bad luck starring a bad ass heroine with a heart that might be bigger than her head. I’m excited to see where these two creators take it from here.
Rating: Buy it.
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Matt Baum is the producer, co-founder, and co-host of the Two-Headed Nerd Comic Book Podcast. He often threatens people with martial arts skills that he does not possess.
