HERE COMES CALICO #1, from Sigma Comics, introduces readers to Calico – a ruthless vigilante determined to rid the world of anyone who abuses animals.
The Details
- Written by: H.H. German
- Art by: Javier Orabich
- Colors by: Daniel Grimaldi
- Letters by: Javier Orabich
- Cover art by: Garnabiel
- Cover price: $2.99
- Release date: Available now
Is It Good?
HERE COMES CALICO #1 is a surprising indie comic from the fine folks at Sigma Comics. If you’re a vehement animal lover, this comic may be a cathartic dream come true. However, if your views on animal rights are even-tempered, you may find the contents of this comic shocking.
The premise revolves around Calico, a vigilante who wears a high-tech catsuit and resolves cases of animal cruelty, abuse, and killing. With the help of an anonymous researcher nicknamed “DogMomma,” Calico receives intel on everyone from animal thrill killers to elite hunters who go after endangered species.
You may wonder what’s so shocking about the premise. It makes sense for a vigilante to fulfill his mission by bringing bad people to justice. Well, German’s protagonist doesn’t bring people to justice so much as he murders them in horrific, torturous ways. In short, Calico probably mocks the Punisher for being a wimp.
To be clear, Calico’s extreme measures aren’t a criticism or a flaw of the comic. It’s a warning that if you go into this comic cold and you’re even a little squeamish, prepare yourself. We’ve reviewed all kinds of horror comics (flesh-eating zombies, limb-ripping demons, etc.), but this is one of the few times a comic caused us to take a break before finishing. You could say that on impact alone, this comic earns high marks.
Regarding the writing, the narrative is straightforward and well-executed. Calico receives intel, dons his suit, and does his worst. German layers in a few flashbacks to ground the character’s past and motivation, so you can connect with the protagonist’s rationale behind his actions, regardless of how extreme they may be for some. The pacing is excellent, the scene transitions are rock solid, and the dialog feels natural.
The art by Orabich and Grimaldi is top-notch. Lines are pristine, the coloring is gritty yet bold, and the overall visual flow rivals anything coming out of the Big 2. In terms of writing and art combined, this comic is as pro-quality as we’ve ever seen from an indie creator.
Normally, we receive all materials from creators and publishers digitally, but German was good enough to send us the print versions of the comic in the same packaging as if we were a typical customer. Therefore, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the neatness and high quality of the packaging. The individual floppies are bagged and boarded with precision (even the tape used to seal the bag looked carefully placed). The package comes with a business card, a couple of character stickers, and a poster, all in pristine condition. If you’re a stickler about packaging and careful handling of your comics order, Sigma Comics sets the high bar standard.
Is it good? It’s well-written, well-drawn, and delivered with expert care. On technical merit, this is a banger of a first issue. That said, the extreme nature of the main character borders on disturbing, so it’s too soon to tell if you can root for him or if you want a restraining order with a 200-yard radius. We’ll find out in the next issue.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a video recording showing a dog brutalized by a man standing off-screen. The voices on the recording are speaking Chinese, and Calico watches in horror as the dog is savaged. DogMomma, Calico’s intel agent, warned him about the disturbing contents but thought he should see it right away, given its disturbing nature.
DogMomma signs off with the promise of getting information about where the video was sourced, so Calico heads out to blow off steam with boxing training. During his workout, Calico recalls a local bully who terrorized him as a small boy, and how bullies form the basis of his mission to stop anyone from hurting those who can’t defend themselves – innocent animals.
After the workout, Calico suits up in his high-tech suit and heads to his next assignment – a wealthy family of big game hunters with a taste for endangered animals. We see a flashback to the family’s latest exploit, a big-game hunt in Africa where the “prize” is an endangered lioness protecting her young. We conclude the issue with a game of “what’s in the box?”, an unusual use for duct tape, and an unusual place for a metal pipe.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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HERE COMES CALICO #1 is a well-written, well-drawn, and expertly delivered indie offering from Sigma Comics. The dialog, pacing, and scene transitions are all on-point, and the art is Big 2 quality from start to finish. That said, the main character’s extreme methods may be a breath of fresh air for some or off-putting for others.
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