FEROCIOUS #1 – New Comic Review

Ferocious #1, by Mad Cave Studios on 11/19/25, picks up its axe and drags you through the mud with blood, beasts, and the promise that things can still get worse.

Credits:

• Writer: Luke Piotrowski
• Artist: Emanuele Ercolani
• Colorist: Paolo Raiteri
• Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
• Cover Artist: Andy Clake, Jose Villarrubia (cover A)
• Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
• Release Date: November 19, 2025
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 24
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of FEROCIOUS #1:

First Impressions:

If the goal was instant unease, the opening pages land right in the uncanny valley between fairy tale and fever dream. The discovery of something unsettling in the water hits like cold mud in your boots, while the jump to whispers of war and “the Feral” signals danger with no time to brace for impact. This book does not coddle. It charges, horns out.

Plot Analysis:

The story begins with a village scene, where daily chores are interrupted by the unnerving presence of something lurking in the water. Tension bubbles up even in mundane acts. Talk quickly shifts to rumors and warnings about “the Feral,” a savage threat whose legend looms larger than life, sowing fear among townsfolk as they prepare for a wedding that feels more like a last supper. Suddenly, chaos erupts: the Feral is real, not rumor, and devastation is swift. An entire town is laid to waste, leaving only a pair of survivors tasked with the grim work of burying the dead.​

The lone survivor dynamic escalates as one, a local, is forced to confront the Feral directly – a towering figure armored in myth and soaked in violence. An unexpected twist arrives when the Feral speaks, breaking expectations and flipping the dynamic on its head: captor and captive blur as old traumas and questions of freedom bubble to the surface. Here, the story turns psychological, with the Feral probing the survivor’s motives, holding up a darkly comic mirror to the notion of captivity and wildness. Issue #1 closes not with closure but with a challenge: Wren (not their name, but close enough for the Feral) must follow, and so must the reader.

Story

The script marches forward with little patience for hand-holding, letting world-building dribble out in tense conversations and choked-back admissions. Dialogue crackles, and every statement feels charged, especially once the Feral enters the conversation, spouting twisted parables about pets and prisoners. The pacing is punchy through the first act, though it loses a little momentum when switching gears to philosophical sparring late in the issue.

Art

Art duties, led by Emanuele Ercolani and colorist Carlos M. Mangual, deliver impact with moody palettes and aggressive line work that keep the tension dialed up. Scenes are packed and sometimes cluttered, mirroring the chaotic tone of the setting, but key moments pop thanks to dynamic compositions and the strategic use of harsher colors during high-stress panels. Facial expressions and body language, especially on the Feral, underscore the book’s violence and discomfort.

Characters

Character work plays tug-of-war: the Feral, initially a force of nature, gets surprising depth through dialogue, revealing enough self-awareness to be both threatening and strange. The “Wren” stand-in for humanity isn’t as fleshed out yet, mostly serving as a victim and stand-in for the reader’s confusion, but the seeds for growth and conflict are planted.

Originality & Concept Execution

Plenty of comics have trodden paths of post-apocalyptic or primal horror, but Ferocious #1 sets itself apart with its odd, philosophical antagonist and refusal to spell things out. There’s freshness in watching a beast reflect on what’s truly wild, but the execution teeters between insightful and obtuse, with some risk of readers losing patience as ambiguity piles up.

Positives

For those with a taste for ambiguity and feral energy, the comic’s aggressive tone, gritty art, and refusal to serve answers on a platter create a genuinely tense experience. The dialogue between Feral and would-be victim carries real bite, and the setup for the series promises plenty of psychological games alongside physical ones—delivering both action and something to chew on after the last page is turned.

Negatives

The same things that set Ferocious #1 apart might chew up less patient readers. Slippery pacing and intentionally vague world-building teeter near the line of confusion, while overcrowded scenes and sometimes murky panel transitions could make it hard to follow in a hurry. If you’re hoping for clean storytelling or clear stakes from page one, you might spend the read waiting to get your bearings.

Art Samples:

The Scorecard

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [3/4]
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [3/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [1/2]

Final Thoughts:

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FEROCIOUS #1 is like a growling animal at the edge of camp: not everyone will want to reach out, but those who do might find something wild and strangely thoughtful waiting for them. The comic earns a solid slot for readers who value mood, menace, and uncertainty over tidy exposition. Those expecting safe, straightforward fantasy will instead get a challenge. Scarcity of clarity aside, that’s where the fun begins.

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