PROMETHEE 13:13 #1, from Ablaze Publishing on July 6th, 2022, brings readers along for a tale about the end of the world at the hands of an alien invasion. Or is it?
The Details
- Written by: Andy Diggle
- Art by: Shawn Martinbrough
- Colors by: Dave Stewart
- Letters by: Shawn Martinbrough
- Cover art by: Jock (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: July 6, 2022
Was It Good?
PROMETHEE 13:13 #1 imagines what happens when ordinary citizens, governments, and organized groups believe the world is about to end from an alien invasion. At the center of the fear and desperation is one woman who receives visions of the invasion after her supposed abduction by aliens when she was a child.
PROMETHEE 13:13 #1 works because of Diggle’s impenetrably crafted pall of paranoia and doom as different groups act as if the prophecies are real. Darla, the main character, has visions portending the end of the world, but this issue never shows readers for sure if what Darla sees is real or simply a sincere delusion. The ambiguity over whether or not an invasion is real provides a constant and growing mood of tension that translate into unrelenting momentum as the prophecied date of invasion approaches.
The key to this story’s success is tension. White-knuckled, lip-biting, teeth-gritting tension as anticipation for what may or may not happens builds and builds. The characters become increasingly desperate. Darla, uncertain of her own experience, wants nothing more than to be rid of all of it, yet the movement she started keeps pulling her back in. Diggle’s story doesn’t just move. It hurdles towards an eventuality where even a null outcome leaves death and destruction in its wake from the panicked masses.
The art from Martinbrough and Stewart has a grounded feel reminiscent of a cinema reproduction rather than a typical comic. The character designs are unique and memorable, especially against sets that are generally nondescript. You could easily see this comic translated into a film without much trouble.
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 an introduction to Darla, a former alien abductee whose experience has been researched, fictionalized, cataloged, and chronicled for most of her life. Now, Darla has called her “fans” together at a UFO convention for a big announcement. She’s come to announce that none of her visions of a pending invasion or her abduction experiences are real. They’re just phantoms of an injured mind.
Unfortunately, Darla isn’t able to convince anyone, and we see how survival groups, zealots, and even NASA are taking steps to survive what so many believe is coming. When Darla tries to leave after having a stress-induced vision on stage, she’s helped by the moderator into an ambulance called for assistance. Unfortunately, the driver and paramedics have been murdered.
We conclude the issue with a kidnapping, a secret satellite deployment, and a ship.
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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PROMETHEE 13:13 #1 is a gripping, paranoia-filled thriller about a world quickly devolving into a panic when the date of a prophetic vision about the end of the world approaches. The dialog, pacing, and plotting are all top-notch, and the art has a grounded realism that crosses the line from comic-style to cinema-style.
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