HORNETS #1, from Ben Edwards on Kickstarter, recounts a tale of war, imprisonment, and betrayal when an elite, all-female military unit is captured by enemy forces.
The Details
- Written by: Jordan Sam Adams
- Art by: Ben Edwards
- Colors by: Ben Edwards
- Letters by: Rachel Ordway
- Cover art by: Ben Edwards
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $5.00 (estimated for digital pdf)
- Release date: May 2023 (estimated)
Is It Good?
Hornets #1 takes the concept of a military squad captured by enemy forces to new and unfamiliar places in Jordan Sam Adams and Ben Edwards’s latest indie offering. Filled with creative character designs and an interesting premise, HORNETS #1 excels at offering a different take on familiar teams such as The Expendables.
Adams’s script centers on an eclectic, all-female team of military experts who have a reputation for getting the job done on behalf of the government (formerly America but now called the Alliance). When the Hornets are captured during a mission against the Republic, the Hornets find out that death is not the only painful loss they’ll have to endure.
The high point of Adams’s script is the central premise. Set decades in the future when the geo-political landscape of Earth has shifted greatly, HORNETS #1 mixes military tactics with future tech as the backdrop for a human survival story. If you’re looking for a war drama that doesn’t give you the “been there, done that” sense of familiarity, there’s plenty of newness to this comic.
That said, the story’s execution has a few rough spots. First, there’s practically no setup to the world, the conflict, or the characters. Half of the description of the premise comes from reading material provided in the back of the comic, so you’re going to struggle to get grounded for the first several pages.
Next, the dialog leans too heavily on slang and turns of phrases that don’t always make sense in context. The dialog needed a few more passes for clarity within the scene and readability for readers who are coming in fresh.
Lastly, Adams doesn’t quite establish why the Hornets are considered an elite team. When each teammate gets a moment in the spotlight, they come across as downright average, so the status of “elite” isn’t reflected here. More work needed to be done to show why the team earned their reputation they have to warrant so much regard and attention from friendly and enemy governments. It’s not enough to say the Hornets are an elite team. You have to show it.
How’s the art? Quite good. Ben Edwards creates memorable character designs you could pick out of a crowd (not as common a thing as it should be), Edwards’s panel compositions have a cinematic feel to the scene progression, and the overall look of the issue is solid. As a small criticism, Edwards struggles with keeping consistent face proportions when viewed at oblique angles. It’s not terrible, but it is noticeable.
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 near the end of a battle in progress. The Hornets are pinned down by Republic forces when their air support appears to abandon them on the ground. Without options, the Hornets surrender.
A Republic commander approaches and confirms the Hornets are headed for prison. As a show of seriousness, the commander orders the death of Diaz, one of the Hornets. Months later, the three surviving Hornets, Ida, Vilma, and Natty, hatch a plan to escape their Republic prison.
We conclude the issue with hurt feelings, a plan in motion, and a betrayal.
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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HORNETS #1 delivers an indie, futuristic war drama with an all-female twist to give readers something a little different from standard war action fare. The central premise has enough unique twists to be interesting, and the art is solid, but the character- and world-building are lacking.
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