EGOs #1

Writer - Stuart Moore

Art - Gus Storms

I'm not going to lie.  I put off reading EGOS (Earth/Galactic Operatives) from Stuart Moore and Gus Storms.  I wasn't immediately familiar with the creators and I'm not a Sci-Fi guy for the most part, so it got shuffled to the bottom of the digital pile a few times throughout the week.  I wasn't looking for a heady futuristic story, and that is what I pegged EGOS as.  Consider this review a formal apology to the creative team.

There is a lot going on in this story.  Several plotlines were instigated in this opening act, some loosely connected to others, and one we're left wondering how it will tie in to the overall narrative.  We get a lot of info dumps throughout the story that help build the world, and they are easily digestible for the reader.  I was able to glean a great deal of the rich history and current volatile state of the universe without feeling overwhelmed.

Storms' art is solid throughout.  He brings a roughness to the story that matches the tone well.  The character level work is clean and the larger set pieces come across in a believable manner.  There are a number of different locales for the story, and the art ties the narrative together nicely.  The futuristic aspect of the setting doesn't overwhelm and Storms keeps the character designs grounded for the most part.  My biggest surprise in the book was how natural everything felt.  I honestly felt like this story was a natural progression in how the future may go.  Nothing wa so far fetched it took me out of the moment, which is a credit to the team.

It wasn't all great, however, some of the characterization was disjointed.  A married couple's relationship takes a seemingly 180 degree turn without much reference to existing problems.  A minor gripe, but it made me go back and re-read their Radley scene to see if I had missed something.  The hook is probably the most important part of an introductory issue.  EGOS provides one that not only causes multiple fronts on the action and drama of the story, but leaves me wanting more.  And that's probably the best thing you can say about a debut.

The Verdict...

Check it out, see if it's your thing.  If you're not normally a Sci-Fi person, this might be up your alley.  I'm not and it drew me in.