Following the events of Harbinger Wars #2, Amanda Mckee (a.k.a. Livewire) is now an enemy of the state. After choosing to protect other vulnerable psiots like herself, she plunged the entirety of the United States into a nationwide blackout using her technopathic abilities. Now, she is on the run from both the government and those she had chosen to protect.

The issue does a great job at introducing us to the players and their motivations in a way that doesn’t feel as though we start en media res while also respecting those who have been keeping up with the series as though they aren’t starting over from scratch. It serves as a perfect jumping-on point for newcomers and a great new chapter for continued fans.

One of the standouts of this new series is writer Vita Ayala’s ability to showcase Amanda Mckee’s struggle with the fallout of her attack on the U.S. It’s an interesting look at how someone who chose to be a hero and fight for the greater good pushed aside her chosen responsibility and turned on what she believed in. But it’s not a classic “good guy goes bad” story, but rather one about making a choice and living with the consequences of said choice.  Livewire is now on the run and trying to make up for the damage that she did. She may have been doing it for the greater good, but what happens when the choice you make might be wrong? It’s a question that seems like it’s going to be the ongoing theme throughout the series.

One of the scenes that stood out the most is when Mckee tries to apologize to her friends, but, instead, she is given an update on the fallout of her attack and learns that Avi, one of her friends, had lost his 16-year-old cousin in the blackout. It’s this revelation that lets us know that no one is going to be just all accepting in this series; sometimes, we make the wrong decision.

The only issue seemed to be the final fight scene. It came across a little clunky, as though the writer and artist didn’t know how to fully utilize Livewire’s ability. Nevertheless, seeing Livewire’s full capabilities illustrated was a highlight and may foretell what readers have in story for future issues. Hopefully, we can see grander and smoother action sequences in the future.

Livewire #1 is a solid first issue that teases just enough of both the story and the overall themes of the series. It’s a story that lets us question whether or not we rely too much on those who decide to protect us and the fallout of making the wrong choice.

Creative Team: Vita Ayala (writer), Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín (artists), Saida Temofonte (letters), David Menchell (assistant editor), Joseph Illidge (executive editor)
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
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