VOID RIVALS #1, from Image Comics on 6/14/23, begins the story of two space pilots from warring civilizations who find themselves marooned in a barren world. Can they work together to escape, and what secrets will they find along the way?
The Details
- Written by: Robert Kirkman
- Art by: Lorenzo De Felici
- Colors by: Matheus Lopes
- Letters by: Rus Wooton
- Cover art by: Lorenzo De Felici (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: June 14, 2023
Is It Good?
Whoo, boy howdy! VOID RIVALS #1 from master comic writer Robert Kirkman is the bee’s knees because it’s a well-crafted sci-fi drama, and a brief scene happens towards the end that turns the entire concept on its head into a story with much larger implications. The twist is almost too good not to spoil, but read through to the next section if you want a hint.
Kirkman’s story centers on Darak and Solita, space pilots from the Agorrian and Zertonian races, respectively. The two species have been at war with each other for years, and the rift between cultures has grown so wide that the average citizen doesn’t know what the other species look like under their helmets. When the two pilots find themselves marooned on a planetoid after a disastrous mid-flight accident, they must put their differences aside and work together if they ever hope to get home.
If that premise sounds awfully familiar, you’d be right. Kirkman’s script is essentially the same basic premise as the 1985 film Enemy Mine. The details are different, but the plot is the same. However, similarities to an older film don’t make this issue any less effective. Kirkman forces Darak and Solita into a binary situation (cooperate or die), and while they grumble about it, they do what’s necessary. That no-nonsense approach gives the characters a realistic and relatable patina that makes their adventure entirely human.
If you haven’t been spoiled yet by online chatter, there is a twist that comes in about two-thirds through. Again, no spoilers in this section, but it’s a big twist, it’s a twist directly related to a recent Image announcement, and it makes this first issue much bigger and more exciting than it would be on its own. Personally, the twist alone justifies the cover price.
How’s the art? It’s good. Not great, but good. Lorenzo De Felici has a solid eye for panel composition, and the layouts look great, but the wider panels lack detail. Consequently, the story is imminently readable and visually well thought out but with sketchy line work.
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 space pilot, Darak, ejected from his wrecked ship onto the desolate ground of a small planetoid. Darak’s handroid (a robot assistant attached to his hand) drags Darak to a medical kit for aid. When Darak recovers enough to assess his situation, the handroid informs him that they’ve crashed an incalculable distance from home after a chance encounter with an enemy ship and a wayward comet.
When Darak begins the slow work of assessing repairs to his ship, he’s attacked by the enemy pilot, Solita, who also crashed on the planetoid. After a brief scuffle, the two pilots realize they have to work together if they hope to escape. After a succession of repair attempts and mishaps, Solita storms off in frustration. After a few minutes, Solita races back with news of an odd discovery in a nearby canyon – a third ship.
We conclude the issue with facial recognition, resignation, and a wreck that’s more than meets the eye (hint, hint).
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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VOID RIVALS #1 conjures an updated version of Enemy Mine (1985) with two marooned enemies forced to work together to survive. Kirkman’s writing is on-point, giving the familiar tale a fresh coat of paint, and the twist reveal is worth the price of admission.
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