Mark Allen reviews Horizon #1…
Zhia Malen thought she’d fought her very last war, until she learned her planet was targeted for occupation… by a desperate world called Earth. The people of Earth will be told that her arrival on their planet means invasion; these are lies, this is retaliation. Skybound’s newest original series by BRANDON THOMAS (The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury), JUAN GEDEON (Ghost Racers), and FRANK MARTIN (EAST OF WEST) will show you that survival isn’t just a human instinct…
The first few pages of Horizon #1 puts a spin on the term ‘cold open’: after rocketing towards Earth in a spaceship and bouncing off a satellite array, blue alien Zhia Malen crash lands in the middle of a frozen Canadian lake before pulling herself out and hitching a ride to a motel on the back of a truck. It’s a nearly wordless sequence that efficiently introduces us to the series’ lexicon – space opera, survival and espionage, courtesy of Malen’s ability to disguise herself as human.
The rest of the issue establishes some key backstory but mostly focuses on the lead’s efforts to evade detection and find her crewmates, though much of this is expanded upon in a letter from writer Brandon Thomas at the back, somewhat undermining the story’s mystery and highlighting a lack of clarity in the final pages.
For the most part this isn’t a problem, as Juan Gedon’s art is allowed to speak for itself, his thick lines and hazy backdrops centering characters in their panels effectively. While the character designs are a little uninspired (Zhia is essentially a toned human woman painted blue) and occasionally bordering on leery, Frank Martin’s muted primary colours and Gedeon’s storyboard-like panel progressions give Horizon a distinct, pleasing sense of place.
While the first issue doesn’t give away too much in terms of plot, Horizon‘s premise has promise, even if a little of that is lost in the telling. Whatever the case it’s certainly an enjoyable read and a book that fans of high concept sci-fi should keep an eye on.
Rating: 6.5/10
Mark Allen
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Originally published July 13, 2016. Updated April 14, 2018.
