Brimstone #1 Review

Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
Writer(s): Michael Kent, Brian McCarthy
Artist: Hyunsang Michael Cho
Release Date: 11 May 2011

I had very little idea of what this comic was about prior to reading it, however as it was being published by Zenescope Entertainment, a company who I have grown somewhat fond of since it began publishing the Charmed series, I decided to give it a go. And I was very happy with myself for doing so, because Brimstone #1 is a fantastic introduction to this new series.

The basic premise of the story involves a group of miners in 1864 who are located at the Brimstone Mining Oupost in Nevada during the Civil War. The miners then wake up some kind of Native American spirit which inevitably leads to their deaths. Enter our 'Men of Action' - a group of men each involved in some kind of criminal activity of one sort or another who are sent to Brimstone in order to answer a cry for help from the miners.

Before I go on to review the story, I want to mention the artwork of Brimstone #1. It is stunning, with each panel looking more like a painting than a scene from a comic book. The artist Hyunsang Michael Cho has complimented the story brilliantly with the art. This style of artwork really fits with the rustic, old West feel of the book and it is some of the most innovative and beautiful art I have ever seen in a comic. The characters are captured with detail and the action shots are wonderfully rendered which makes the action scenes very easy to follow while at the same time looking incredibly impressive.

Moving onto the story, again I was impressed. Each of the characters are introduced fairly quickly, and we get a small snapshot of who they are and what their backgrounds are, although I fully expect some strong character development, particularly with 'The Viper' who appears to have taken lead of the group. The characters work well together and they each bring a different 'skill' to the table. However, as this is the first issue there is a lot of introductory ground to cover, so just as the story gets going we are hit with the 'To Be Continued' although after this issue's impressive set up, I imagine a lot of readers will return for Issue #2 due out next month. The cliffhanger we are left on is a suitable one, introducing our final character, who I am assuming is the woman on the front of Greg Horn's cover (see above image) but I guess we'll find out next month.

Overall, Brimstone #1 is a stellar introduction to a story which appears to be unlike anything Zenescope have ever published in the past. The gritty, rustic nature of the story is reflected perfectly in the artwork and I suppose my only gripe with this issue is that there could have been more of an insight into what exactly was awoken by the miners at the start, although that is likely to be something which will be revealed over the course of the series. Brimstone #1 comes with high recommendations, especially if you are looking for something slightly different to what else is on offer by the publisher.

Rating: 4.5/5