Terrorwar #1
- Writer:
- Saladin Ahmed
- Artist:
- Saladin Ahmed
- Letterer:
- Shawn Lee
- Cover Artist:
- Saladin Ahmed
- Publisher:
- Image Comics
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2023-04-19
- Colorist:
- Walter Pereyra
The cyberpunk genre has become immensely popular in modern pop-culture, with plenty of avenues to explore. Typically set in a tech heavy society with noir elements and themes related to oppression, the storytelling possibilities are endless. In the case of Terrorwar #1, written by Saladin Ahmed, with artwork by Dave Acosta, inking by Jay Leisten, colors by Walter Pereyra and lettering by Shawn Lee, the creative team turns a cyberpunk story into war zone populated by nightmare creatures.
Terrorwar follows Mahammad Cho and his crew of freelance Terrorfighters in Blue City, one of the last livable places on Earth. The world is now crawling with Terrors, mysterious monsters that can transform into their victims worst fears, and only the Terrorfighters have the ability to take down these monsters.
Ahmed, Acosta, Leisten, Pereyra and Lee are a dream team for this book, mostly because of the world-building they do together. While this is the first issue of the series, the world-building makes everything in Terrorwar feel fleshed out and lived in. Ahmed throws readers right into it, and while there is a lot of narration to cue in readers about what's happening, it works because Ahmed's narration leans into the film noir elements that Terrorwar pulls inspiration from. This leads to a story that will appeal to fans of Blade Runner while still being something entirely new.
Ahmed plays with the cyberpunk genre by blending in other genres. Along with the film noir themes, Terrorwar also has horror elements, and isn't afraid to lean into the nightmares of war. While the first Terror readers see is played as a joke that feels tonally off, the rest of Ahmed's script commits to this being a high stakes story where there are no war heroes -- only survivors profiting off of killing Terrors. This also opens the door for some compelling commentary on the gig economy and the lack of security some of the most important workers experience.
Meanwhile, Terrorwar's art is captivating on all fronts. Going back to the world-building, Acosta and Leisten have fleshed out Blue City incredibly well for a first issue, selling the high-tech, grimy feel. It's a world with layers, populated by people down on their luck that are easy to empathize with and root for.
There is a kindness to civilians like Mx. Etienne, one that makes them feel like a friendly face you can inherently trust. Meanwhile, Acosta and Leisten have brought to life a respectable team of Terrorfighters. Muhammed and his crew look like the epitome of a sci-fi monster-fighting team, one that has readers excited to see them face more action in Terrorwar. Muhammed has already proved his skills, with Acosta and Leisten delivering art that would make any action director proud.
That first confrontation also highlights Pereyra's color work. There is a heat to the colors of this comic during the action moments. This not only further sells the hellish state of Terrorwar, but it highlights the characters in way where readers can see them in their full glory while still being in an ominous setting. It's also a strong contrast against the blues associated with Muhammed and co.
Pereyra is not afraid to play with vibrant colors, despite the grim setting of Terrorwar's Blue City. In a world full of Terrors based on one's worst nightmare, Pereyra embraces the idea that there are no limitations to what these monsters could be through the vibrant, wild colors used in some of the more dynamic, gory moments. One of the earlier confrontations has a gory splash page where the text feels as though it's gushing from the page. Meanwhile, when things need to be more subtle -- like with the narration -- Lee does not overcrowd the page with these captions.
This is a strong first issue in for a brand-new original series that will keep readers coming back for more. Terrorwar is a must-read comic, checking off all the boxes for sci-fi fans looking for a high-adrenaline story with stellar world-building, engaging characters and something to say.