Time traveling in a chess piece.
Creative Staff:
Story: Steven Grant
Art: Paul Gulacy
Colors: Jesus Aburto
What They Say:
Seeking his roots, a time traveling adventurer stumbles across history’s darkest secret: an immortal genius who has terrorized and shaped human culture since the dawn of man. Though seriously outgunned, he begins a lone guerrilla war across time, in pasts unheard of and futures undreamed of, to free humanity from the immortal’s unending grip.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
It can be extremely intimidating trying to break into a well established series. This is especially true for comics, where many franchises span decades and have changed multiple times over the years. Luckily, Dark Horse has provided a gateway for new readers into the strange yet fascinating universe of The Rook.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before. The Rook stars mysterious man who travels through time using a machine called the time castle. His goal is to preserve the sanctity of time from those who seek to abuse the power of time travel. Yeah, it’s Doctor Who but with a slightly different coat of paint and a more violent time traveler. Despite the similarities, trust me when I say The Rook feels like a different take on the Doctor Who formula.
The Rook #1 acts as both an introduction for new readers and a reboot of the original series. Restin Dane, the pilot of the time castle, has been brought to the brink by his greatest foes who’ve been hunting him through time. After sustaining heavy wounds in battle, he decides to travel to the year 2015 to meet his past self. Unfortunately, his enemies have the means to follow Restin and are on a mission to end the time traveler and take the time castle once and for all.
The book doesn’t spend much time on backstories or exposition about Restin and his past adventures. The writer was smart enough to give you everything you need to know pretty much in the beginning while peppering vital information throughout the story. This allows for an easy book to just pick up and enjoy. You’re also not bogged down by the decades-long history of this character though there are plenty of nods for old fans. All you need to know is that Restin is a time traveler and he’s being chased by monsters. All of this, combined with an engaging mystery, draws you into the world of The Rook and leaves you wanting more.
The art is also very appealing, with bright visuals that just pop off the page. All of Restin’s various baddies are just so colorful and well designed, you can’t help but want to see more of them. I just love the coloring in this book, everything is so bright contrasted with the darker backgrounds. The villain Lock is a particular favorite of mine. His bright yellow skin and creepy goblin-like design just grabs your attention. He’s both creepy and intriguing in his bizarre alien mannerisms and unabashed brutality. This is a book that’s really pleasing to the eye and ensures everything is clear to the reader. Though I should warn that there’s a bit of violence in this that may be disturbing for some readers.
I definitely want to see more of The Rook. I’ve got no history with the original story, but this has definitely piqued my interest in the time traveling hero. The story does feel like a lite version of Doctor Who, but the main character is still engaging and this story really draws you into the action. I give this one a recommendation if you’re looking for some time traveling sci-fi with good visuals. It’s also a nice introduction to a long established character from comic’s history.
In Summary:
The Rook aims to resurrect an old character for a new audience. Restin Dane travels through time fighting monsters and bad guys to preserve the time stream. This updated version gives you everything you need to enjoy this time-traveling adventure and make you a fan of The Rook.
Grade: B
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: October 21, 2015
MSRP: $3.99
