IMMORTAL ERA #1 – Indie Review

In Immortal Era #1, available from Finish Line Comics in August 2019, imagines a world struggling with violence and conflict when humans have been unable to die for 200 years.

The Details

• Written By: Edward Davis
• Art By: Cezar Oliveira
• Colors By: Viviana Spinelli
• Letters By: Manny Hernandez
• Cover Art By: Cezar Oliveira
• Cover Price: $5.00
• Release Date: August 2019

Was It Good?

Yes, it was good.

Whenever we review comics coming from indie circles or crowdfunded projects, we’re increasingly comparing projects to the books coming out of mainstream publishers. There are enough writers and artists out in the wild that can produce quality on the same level as the so-called pros, so indies need to meet a high bar to earn the score they get.

In this case, this title is as good as any comic you’ll find coming out of mainstream publishers these days.

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The premise of the story is fairly original. The designs of the characters are unique. And the coloring and lettering are solid.

The one minor down point on the quality of the book is the font choice in the lettering. Sometimes the kerning (spaces between letters) was too small and the tails made capital Ps look like capital Ds and vice versa. It may seem like a small thing but it affected readability.

In short, this is an interesting first issue with good writing and art.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

We begin with news reports on January 2nd, 2000 that a record has been set. No human has died since the New Year. On the surface, this may seem like a reason for rejoicing, but a rogue newscaster interrupts a local broadcast to show footage of patients suffering through bloody pain and mutilation but are unable to die. Immortality is not without its downside.

200 years later, a class separation has emerged between humans who live in the decaying cities above ground and the unwanted who live in the underground to fend for themselves against packs of insane cannibals. Ari, Kimberly, Miguel, Dr. Mann, and Father guard their little corner of the underground with guts, determination, and lots of guns.

Miguel, unlike his abandoned, adopted siblings, was born and tagged above ground in the city. That means he carries a tracker chip that grants him access to some restricted areas, access he uses to bring back supplies. Dr. Mann, the disembodied head and research scientist of the group, also sends Miguel on missions to “borrow” information from elite centers of the city to hopefully discover a cure for the curse of global immortality.

While Miguel is away on his latest scavenger hunt, we get a solid introduction to each player through their watch duties, sibling arguments, and heartfelt talks. Again, immortality is a curse rather than a blessing, and the residents are under constant fear of attack from cannibals or the daily stress of never-ending monotony.

Imagine living a life with the same routine over and over forever. It quickly becomes mental torture that turns life on Earth into Hell on Earth. The creators do an excellent job conveying listless oppression where the only sense of hope comes from the desire to die.

If it sounds depressing, that’s because it is. However, Miguel gets into sword-wielding scraps on his latest hunt for a book, and Ari has a cannibal encounter on her latest patrol that ends with a bang. In short, there are heavy post-apocalyptic themes buoyed by plenty of intense action.

We conclude the issue with Miguel making an enemy and returning with a prize.

How Does It End?

Miguel almost went BOOM! The book has the answers. Miguel knows how to use a sword.

Final Thoughts

Immortal Era #1 is the start of a post-apocalyptic story with a unique twist we haven’t seen before. The art is solid and the writing does a good job balancing weighty themes with kinetic action.

Score: 8.5/10