NEVERWARS #1 – New Comic Review

NeverWars #1, by AMP Comics on 5/25, is a World War I fantasy opener that straps you into a German biplane with a Romani kid and a literal war-ending bioweapon riding shotgun.

Credits:

• Writer: Don Handfield
• Artist: Marcelo Basile
• Colorist: Marco Brakko
• Letterer: Dave Lanphear
• Cover Artist: Aaron Bartling (cover A)
• Publisher: AMP Comics
• Release Date: May, 2025
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 28
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of NEVERWARS #1:

First Impressions:

The opening in the Ardennes on December 23rd, 1914, immediately sets a harsh tone with barking officers, trench mud, and a boy soldier who is treated as both tool and outsider, which lands as intense rather than subtle. The gut reaction is that the book wants to mix historical aviation drama with dark fantasy stakes, and it wastes no time shoving a kid into the line of fire for it. Emotionally, the first few pages feel like a test: if you are not okay following a child spy and would-be bomber into a mission described as too dangerous for adults, this series is not trying to win you back later.

Plot Analysis:

The story opens on December 23rd, 1914, in the Ardennes, where a German air unit pulls a Romani boy named Petr back from a reconnaissance mission. He has taken flawless aerial photographs of enemy positions all the way back to their hospitals, which impresses some officers and irritates others who sneer at orphans and “gypsies” in their elite squadron. Captain Erich defends Petr’s skill while men like Hermann and Goring make it clear they see the boy as beneath them, even as they recognize his usefulness.​

In a strategy meeting, senior officers discuss a new chemical weapon that they claim can win the war by burning through clothing and boiling the skin of anyone it touches. One officer objects to poisoning men and points out that a missed drop would kill their own troops, but another insists that masks are useless against this gas and that they need absolute precision. Goring argues that “gypsies are expendable” and pushes to have Petr handle the bombs, while Erich resists the idea of involving a boy in such a mission.​

Later, Petr admires a captured British tank that some call a steel dragon, only to be told that the machine is just a distraction and that he is the “real hero” of tomorrow’s battle. Goring corners him and claims high command specifically chose him for a secret mission, contradicting Erich, who has said Petr cannot join the next flight. This leaves Petr caught between a commander who treats him like a disposable tool and a captain who wants to keep him grounded.​

Petr pushes Erich to take him on the mission anyway, saying dead or alive he would be a hero and arguing that they need someone small with sharp eyes to make sure the poison bombs hit only the enemy. Erich insists there is nothing heroic about dropping poison on people and that living is the better adventure, but Petr plays on his hatred of Goring and promises the satisfaction of returning alive just to spite him. Erich finally gives in, and at first light Petr squeezes into the cramped biplane as the squadron takes off, spots their target, and begins the bombing run under heavy fire, which ends with Erich apparently hit and Petr screaming for his captain as the issue cuts to a teaser for what comes next.

Story

The pacing is brisk, moving from trenches to photo review to chemical weapons briefing to emotional arguments and then straight into the bombing run without much downtime, which keeps tension high but leaves little room for quiet character moments. Dialogue is clear and functional, using direct lines to signal prejudice, moral conflict, and Petr’s hunger for heroism, though it tends to state themes outright rather than lean on subtext. Structurally, the issue follows a simple arc: establish Petr’s skills, raise the stakes with the bioweapon, put him at the center of a mission adults fear, then drop him into the climax in the sky, which is effective but very linear.

Art

The art focuses heavily on clear silhouettes and readable panel layouts when planes, tanks, and trenches crowd the page, so it is usually easy to track who is speaking and what the immediate action is. Aircraft, uniforms, and the captured tank are rendered with detail that sells the World War I setting and makes the machinery feel heavy and real, which helps the “war-ending weapon” talk feel grounded instead of abstract. The color choices and atmosphere lean into muddy battlefields and cold skies, setting a grim mood where the bright elements, like paint on the tank or the flare of explosions, pop as small visual shocks rather than cheerful highlights.

Characters

Petr has a consistent motivation: he wants to matter, to prove himself as a flyer, and to be seen as a hero rather than expendable, which explains why he is willing to risk himself on a mission Erich calls too dangerous. Erich is positioned as the reluctant mentor figure, torn between protecting the boy and obeying high command, and his moral discomfort with poison warfare does keep him from feeling like just another swaggering ace. Goring and the other senior officers are not subtle, but they are consistent: they talk about “gypsies” as expendable, push the mission without remorse, and act as the blunt pressure that drives Petr into the cockpit, which makes them easy to read even if they are not nuanced.

Originality & Concept Execution

The combo of World War I aviation, ethnic prejudice inside a German squadron, and a skin-boiling bioweapon being dropped by a Romani child gives the book a specific angle that is not just “planes and trenches again.” The issue commits to that premise by centering every major scene on Petr’s involvement with this weapon, from the reconnaissance photos that prove his worth to the final bombing run that risks his life. At this stage, the fantasy or “Neverland” promise teased by the title and some branding is only hinted at, so in practice this issue plays more like grim historical war fiction with a trailer for stranger things to come.

Positives

The strongest value lies in how tightly the issue ties its tension to one clear throughline: Petr is good at what he does, the adults are weaponizing that skill, and every scene pushes him closer to a choice that could kill him and many others. That focus makes the pacing feel purposeful; you are not drifting through random trench vignettes, you are watching a kid get maneuvered into a mission that even veteran officers fear. The detailed war machinery and clear aerial action also help sell the stakes, because when the planes take off and the guns start firing, the book visually backs up all the earlier talk about how deadly this mission is.

Negatives

The flip side is that the script leans on blunt tools: prejudice is shouted, moral lines are spoken out loud, and Petr’s “dead or alive, I’d be a hero” attitude is stated instead of explored, which can make the drama feel more schematic than deep. The issue also asks you to invest in the “NeverWars” concept while mostly delivering a straight war story until the last page, so readers looking for a clear fantastical hook or a stronger twist on the premise might feel undersold by the time the last page hits. Finally, because the pacing is so fixated on getting Petr into the air with the bioweapon, side characters like Rosenstein and even Erich get less dimension than their roles deserve, which lowers the emotional payoff of that final, chaotic bombing sequence.

Art Samples:

The Scorecard:

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

Final Thoughts:

(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)

NEVERWARS #1 feels like a solid first volume of an ambitious war fantasy DVD box set, but right now you are mostly watching the “war” part while the “never” side keeps coyly lurking offstage. If your pull list can handle a grounded, morally sour World War I opener that leans more on clear action and a sharp hook than on deep character digging, this is worth a look, but readers hunting for immediate high-concept weirdness or richer nuance may want to wait and see if issue 2 actually cashes the promise on the cover.

---

---

---

As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.