The first volume of We Live is utterly brilliant. A story about a brother and sister’s trek to get off the planet was a tear jerker. I literal one. Each issue I found myself hit with emotions as these two adorable kids made their way against insurmountable odds. Then we got to the finale and were delivered a twist on a massive level I didn’t see coming at all. Add in amazing art and you had a series that was can’t miss. You can imagine how excited I was to dive into We Live: Age of The Palladions – Black #1, the second volume and one half of the debut issues this week, along with “White”. I’m happy to say both are a solid debut and the heart is still there.
Inaki Miranda and Roy Miranda are back to continue the adventure which goes from a tale of survival in a journey to just a tale of survival. The Palladions are now humanity’s last hope as the monsters have evolved and besieged the various metropolises which are protected by energy shields. The problem? The energy keeps getting cut which leads to some difficult decisions.
We Live: Age of The Palladions – Black #1 is Pacific Rim with an Ultraman twist. Instead of giant robots, it’s superheroes fighting giant monsters. The city to protect is there. The wall is there. The military force is there. It’s all a bit familiar in that way. But it’s still good. As battles begin you can hear the riff of the guitar from the Pacific Rim them start jamming as the Palladions do their thing.
But what made the first volume so good was the heart within. I’m not joking that each issue felt like a gut punch. This new volume keeps that going with an opening that is just ominous but also so touching. You dread what’s to come but at the same time the love and caring between Tala and Hototo is so amazing. It’s the human side of a superhero tale.
Inaki Miranda provides the art with color by Eva De La Cruz and lettering by Dave Sharpe. The art looks fantastic as expected. The series hasn’t lost a touch at all and Miranda’s style shifts from the previous volume’s genre style to this perfectly. It has a flair to it with colors that pop with lettering that deliver the exclamation point to the emotional punch. It’s awesome art in every way with a style that feels familiar and all its own at the same time.
We Live: Age of The Palladions – Black #1 has its bumps. Some of the story is a little choppy with talk of portable beacons, shields, and charging, but it all comes together nicely. If the first volume was a story of brother and sister’s survival, this is the fight back as we get to see powered up superheroes kick some monster butt.
Story: Inaki Miranda, Roy Miranda Art: Inaki Miranda
Color: Eva De La Cruz Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Story: 8.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy
AfterShock provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology/Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW
Source: Graphic Policy
