Void Rivals #1 ACover by Lorenzo De Felici Void Rivals #1
- Writer:
- Robert Kirkman
- Artist:
- Lorenzo De Felici
- Letterer:
- Rus Wooton
- Cover Artist:
- Lorenzo De Felici
- Publisher:
- Image Comics
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2023-06-14
- Colorist:
- Matheus Lopes
Image Comics and Skybound present Void Rivals #1, an all-new sci-fi epic from the co-creator of Invincible and juggernaut franchise The Walking Dead. Written by Robert Kirkman, with art by Oblivion Song illustrator Lorenzo De Felici, colors by Matheus Lopes and letters by Rus Wooton, Void Rivals #1 teases the launch of a brand-new shared universe that has a whole host of surprises in store.
Void Rivals #1opens in the aftermath of a dogfight in space, a pilot crashing onto a remote moon with only an android to keep them alive. Quickly it transpires that one of the other side of the space-battle has found themselves in the exact same situation, leaving two ancestrally sworn enemies as the entire population of an isolated and desolate planet.
Void Rivals #1 has a terrific premise, with two sides of a cosmic war trapped and forced to learn about each other in a life-or-death situation. Kirkman not only possesses the writing skill to work with such potential, but realizes it through great dialogue, structuring choices and imaginative flair. Void Rivals #1 operates in media res, skipping clunky exposition to get on with the storytelling, the witty and well-formulated dialogue giving just enough away for a reader to piece together the cultures and differences of the Zertonians and Aggorians. Kirkman's approach creates a complex and rewarding reading experience, where details feel precious and interesting, as well as sowing seeds for future fruition. The structure of the comic is close to perfection, progressing through the plot in a way that feels organic and gives each individual beat room to breathe, as well as setting up the final cliffhanger to land with maximum impact.
De Felici's illustrations are gorgeous throughout Void Rivals #1, composed of thin but robust lines with an abundance of detail and hatching that creates a stunning sense of texture and depth. De Felici captures the spirit of vintage sci-fi comics whilst elevating and modernizing the style, integrating complex mechanical and industrial design with an impressive feel for extraterrestrial figures and landscapes. The double-spread illustrations mark pivotal points, but also flex the scale and ambition of the aesthetics, creating spectacular visual counterpoints between the two protagonists. The action sequences of Void Rivals #1are also great, the art capturing a sense of motion and momentum across panels that feels very dynamic and infused with a palpable weightiness that gives a sense of peril and realism.
The colors of Void Rivals #1 are simple but very effective, Lopes working in saturated primary colors and muted shades of gray and black to create a world that feels stark and alien. It's a great detail that the Zertonian protagonist introduces the color green to the page, acting as its only source throughout and disrupting the established pallet of our Aggorian protagonist's world. Lopes also demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of light and shadow, using subtly shifting shades to create incredible moments of depth and perspective. Wooton's letters are extremely strong, particularly the sound effects of Void Rivals #1 are remarkably well-constructed. Onomatopoeic in both their linguistic and visual formulation, they add a great deal to the sci-fi flair, as well as being stunningly novel and inventive. The choice to use different fonts for organic and robotic characters is another nice touch, and intonation is very well done across all voices, italics and emboldening being used selectively to create rhythms and cadences in speech with notable clarity and dramatic flair.
Void Rivals #1is an incredibly impressive piece of work, executing plot, character development and world building that wouldn’t be possible within the limited page count of a single issue if not for the stunning talent of every creative voice involved. A genuine tour de force of the medium, Void Rivals #1demonstrates the power and scope of what comic books can achieve, setting up a complex and multifaceted story complete with distinctive aesthetics, political philosophy and the beginnings of an overarching narrative. Although the shape of the story feels familiar, even predictable at moments, it's undeniably compelling, and in the final pages secures a secondary throughline that will hook even reticent readers for a second issue.