That Brian Wood is one heck of a writer. I was skeptical that a historical comic book series about the Revolutionary War could hold my interest. But Wood's brilliant five-page opening sequence was all it took to get me hooked on Rebels.
Rebels is the story of Seth Abbot, a young man who grows up on the farming frontier of the New Hampshire grants, plots of land owned by pre-Revolutionary farmers. Seth is a man of few words, but an honorable man in dishonorable times.
Set five years after the Boston Tea Party, Seth and his best friend Ezekiel Learned are embroiled in local disputes with the Red Coats — completely unaware of how serious the situation is in the rest of the Colonies. It isn't long before Seth and Ezekiel's resistance against the British crown leads them across the path of Mercy Tucker, a hardened young woman who needs their help. Mercy's so weary from Red Coat cruelties that she doesn't truly believe Seth and Ezekiel will help her.
There are many more developments over these 25 pages, but suffice it to say, they're engrossing, enlightening and entertaining. I guarantee that you'll care about what happens to these characters. The strong writing gets you invested in the lives of the characters, while giving you a lesson in history — and what's more, Wood makes that feat look easy.
Wood proves himself a true virtuoso, repeating his triumphs with DMZ and Northlanders with what's sure to be another highly acclaimed story. Andrea Mutti does some of the best work of his career, giving each character a unique look and sensibility. It would be very easy for the characters in this kind of story to be visually indistinguishable from each other, but Mutti's art renders them distinct and easy to track. It's beautiful, in a rough-hewn kind of way.
History buff or not, Rebels is something you shouldn't miss.
Rebels #1 will hit shelves on April 8.
Story:
★★★★★
Art:
★★★★★
Overall:
★★★★★
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