Review: Haven #1
From Rolling Squid Bones
Out now from Rolling Squid Bones, after a successful Kickstarter, this is a great time to jump on with Haven #1.
A traumatized detective struggles to contain super-powered destruction in his hopeless city. Dynamic superhero action that feels like a blockbuster movie on a comic book page. Haven is the story of a broken detective and a well-meaning superhero as they try to inspire hope under dour circumstances. The look and feel give vibes of Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming’s series, Powers. A killer debut from Brayden Viloria and Leonardo Utin, and a fantastic launchpad into the Rook City Universe.
By Brayden Viloria, Amal Desai, and Leonardo Utin
As a start of a larger story, this drops you straight into an interesting point—the back end of a battle between two ‘enhanced’ individuals. This also shows us the stakes and collateral damage involved.
This initial issue of Haven gives us the human element in these battles between heroes and villains: the general public, the innocent, and the police and emergency services that are required to clean up and sort things out after the final scene.
Who is responsible for all of this? Well, there are arguments about the villains causing it, but the heroes also cause a degree of escalation1.
In the case of Haven, there are good arguments for both sides, but something darker is happening in the background—someone is making things considerably worse, and this builds into the character aspects being told here.
The hero, Haven, is well-meaning and wants to do the best. Things look to be getting considerably darker for him, though. The Detective he finds himself with is more world-weary and has his own demons to face, with the involvement of enhanced individuals. Those demons—or ghosts—are still haunting him, and that background is only hinted at and something to work through in the story as we move forward.
This was an excellent first issue, with some great action scenes - the art and the colouring link well and have some explosive panels. The character moments and facial expressions do the medium proud, even with those in the background who make up those often forgotten about.
It is worth checking out and jumping on this first issue, ready for a well-built story.
Get it here:
See, Batman Begins…