Released by Dark Horse Comics, Arcbound is the collaborative effort of writers Scott Snyder, Frank Tieri, and actor Tom Hardy. A futuristic tale of betrayal, manifest destiny, and technology told through twists, turns, and brutal violence, this first volume collects the first six of twelve issues of this sci-fi saga. Ryan Smallman’s art brings this violent future to life.
Telling the story of a desolate future and a corrupt government, a rogue space ranger is betrayed after he discovers the mission he’s part of is more sinister than expected. Veteran space cadet Kai has doubts about his place within the corps after learning the truth about the mission. He confronts the less experienced Xander, who shoots Kai in the back and leaves him to be torn apart because he’s become a liability. Kai is put back together by a doctor as a machine known as Arcbound. Hesitant about being an Arcbound at first, Kai strikes out on his own with some difficulty but acclimates to his body and is ready for revenge.
Snyder, Tieri, and Hardy’s Arcbound feels like the action movie version of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. It helps that Smallman’s art feels reminiscent of that Saturday morning cartoon, and I mean that in the best way. Of course, Arcbound‘s violence is what takes it to the next level of maturity, while still keeping with the aesthetic of these serialized tales. The color scheme used by Frank Williams looks similar to the show’s palette.
Arcbound is pretty brutal in a number of ways. Anyone who has read either author knows that Snyder is great with plot twists and turns, and Tieri has a way of making written violence an art. Captain Kai’s transformation from loyal officer to a backstabbed and left-for-dead deserter gives a dimension to these types of space cadets pioneered in the 1950s. Subverting the trope of these characters gives them more depth than your typical mission-of-the-week TV show. Space cadets have never been this much fun nor violent.
The writers have chosen to mine a genre that has become more and more prevalent: distrust in the government and corruption within it. Evolving these stories to reflect the real feelings of some individual soldiers, rather than a propaganda-ridden basic story, elevates this to another level. It gives Captain Kai substance.
Arcbound is a great read, and we are only halfway through the planned twelve issues. Kai’s journey is far from done, and neither are the obstacles he faces in getting revenge and exposing the truth. Scott Snyder and crew have presented a comic that is timely and effective.
Creative Team: Scott Snyder and Frank Tieri (writer), Tom Hardy (contributor), Ryan Smallman
(artist), Frank Williams (colorist), Buddy Beaudoin (letterer)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
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