WE ARE SCARLET TWILIGHT #1 – Comic Review

WE ARE SCARLET TWILIGHT #1, from Red 5 Comics on 5/24/23, introduces readers to Captain Lancet – a vigilante hero determined to rid the world of the Scarlet Twilight cult and its mysterious leader.

The Details

• Written by: Benjamin W. Morse
• Art by: Benjamin W. Morse
• Colors by: Benjamin W. Morse
• Letters by: Benjamin W. Morse
• Cover art by: Benjamin W. Morse
• Comic Rating: Teen+
• Cover price: $3.95
• Release date: May 24, 2023

Is It Good?

We like surprises as long as they’re good surprises. WE ARE SCARLET TWILIGHT #1 not only has a good surprise, which you’d never guess from the description, but you get two great surprises for the price of one. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to accurately review this comic without some light spoilers, but we’ll hold back as much as we can.

First and foremost, Benjamin W. Morse’s story and art get a big thumbs up for capturing the aesthetic and vibe of classic pulp serial adventures of the early twentieth century. Captain Lancet presents as the quintessential pulp hero archetype, similar to characters you already know, such as the Green Hornet, Flash Gordon, and Doc Savage. He’s a pistol-wielding hero dedicated to the causes of justice and the American ideal.

However, the comparisons to classic pulp heroes stop with surprise number one. We won’t spoil it here except to say Captain Lancet isn’t your typical hero, and the reveal is a “What the… ?!” moment that suddenly turns this comic into something special. Morse teases enough information to give readers an idea about Captain Lancet’s origins, but the tease will leave you wanting to know more.

Putting the first surprise aside, Morse demonstrates a strong handle on the tone of the time period (1938) with period-accurate architecture, turns of phrases in the character dialog, and fun captions that approximate an exuberant radio announcer giving readers a blow-by-blow narration. The pacing is breezy, the bare-knuckled brawling is energetic, and the stakes are world-changing.

Then comes surprise number two, which takes the beginning of the story and shifts in an entirely new direction. The most we’ll say is Captain Lancet gets a look into the consequences of his actions, which turns his local adventure into a fight for the world’s salvation.

Again, we like surprises, especially surprises done right, and Morse gets this one right.

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 narrated prologue explaining the rise of a deadly cult called the Scarlet Twilight, which is responsible for kidnappings and human sacrifice. Captain Lancet, the masked vigilante hero, resolves to discover the cult’s leader and stop their evil plans.

Captain Lancet spies on the evil Dr. Occulto, the cult’s research scientist, to learn the cult’s leader is a mysterious woman named Madam Satanika. Before Dr. Occulto can order more kidnappings to complete the cult’s dastardly ritual, Captain Lancet stops the doctor in the most surprising way imaginable.

Later, Captain Lancewt attends a charity ball where Madam Satanika is said to be secretly in attendance. Searching the ball’s attendees as his civilian alter-ego, Prince Kingsley of Wallchia, he identifies a woman to be the most likely cult leader and follows her trail after she mysteriously disappears from the ball.

We conclude the issue with another sacrifice, a near-death experience, and a deep sleep.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.

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