Revenge #1 Revue

Title:	Revenge
Contributors:	Jonathan Ross Ian Churchill
Publisher:	Image Comics
Issue #:	1
Year:	2014
Pages:	25 Pages
Age Rating:	18+ (Language, Violence, Gore, Nudity, Sex, Adult Themes)
Story Grade:	A
Art Grade:	A

Issue #1 of revenge is the story of a 70-something-year-old washed-up-has-been Hollywood action star, Griffin, who has just had a successful hit in the reboot of his Revenger character from the 70s. But due to his age is not going to be cast in the lead of the sequel. Therefore he is willing to do whatever it takes to find the fountain of youth; plastic surgery style. What he doesn't know is that the one person he trusts the most is the one he should trust the least. Revenge is the tale of a person's revenge against the wrong guy.

Book one is simply shocking; in a Saw type of shocking at least for the time it was released. It starts off somewhat shallow feeling, telling the tale of a woe-is-me old actor who is loathing his old age as he moves from the twilight of his life to the golden years long after he really should have. I mean we've all heard story after story of hollywood-types going under the knife in their quest for the next big role. But after getting a few pages into this story it quickly turns into a torture-horror-story that has more depth than saw and considerably more backstory.

Think Saw meets Death Wish.

While the story is full of over-played stereotypes (like egotistical Hollywood stars, unhappy trophy wives living life in excess, creepy surgeons, and obvious nods to actual old-former-action stars, etc) and is obviously based on a revenge plot, what sets this book apart for me is that this issue of the story opens the doors to some great possibilities with the characters and the story.

The artwork is fantastic. It is detailed, gory and over-the-top. But what makes the art really pop is Churchill's ability to use clutter to the benefit of the story. Any time Griffin is at a Hollywood function, the art is full, chaotic and over the top. But when Griffin is away from that scene, the artwork is simplified, cleaned up, providing only the necessities for details.

All in all I grade this book an A+. The story is entertaining and engaging and definitely made me want to read issue #2 and the artwork is gross, revolting and disgusting in its portrayal of Hollywood and all that surrounds it. This is a good thing, mind you.

Until next time... Don't trust your wife when you go under the knife.