The MacLeod story returns!
Creative Staff:
Writer: Brian Ruckley
Art: Andrea Mutti
Color: Vladimir Popov
Letterer: Chris Mowry
What They Say:
The cult-classic franchise makes its triumphant return! In the thirty years since its release, Highlander has inspired a cult following and numerous spinoffs with its epic clashes between powerful immortals. Now, The American Dream follows Scottish swordsman Connor MacLeod as he navigates through the American Civil War and 1950s Manhattan toward The Gathering in 1986. Reunite with familiar faces, such as Connor’s secretary Rachel, and meet new immortals, such as Osta Vazilek, but remember… There can be only one!
Content: (warning, section may contain spoilers)
Our story begins in Manhattan in 1985, as an unnamed man walks into a store, and ends up making the woman working there, Rachel, very nervous. He tells Rachel to tell her superior that he’ll be waiting on a nearby bridge. The man is revealed to be Osta Vazilek, and the person he wanted to see? None other than Connor MacLeod, The Highlander. Some unknown man spies on their conversation, and we enter a flashback likely telling us the story of how Vazilek and MacLeod first met. We are taken here to 1863, 10 days after the Battle of Gettysburg, according to the narration. MacLeod appears to be fleeing from men who are shooting and actually hit him. MacLeod flees to a church, knowing the rule about Immortals and holy ground might save him. Another Immortal is revealed to be among his enemies, and this man wants Connor’s head.
The Highlander is saved from a grisly battle by the timely arrival of a familiar faced monk (Vazilek). Vazilek wards this unknown Immortal off and the two head for somewhere the injured Connor can rest. After Connor awakes, we learn the identity of his would be assailant, John Hooke, and we also learn of the event all Immortals are waiting for: The Gathering. All Immortals know that there will only be a single winner to inherit “The Prize” as they call it-that there can be only one. The one who remains will decide much in terms of what happens to humanity. Vazilek explains that Connor has met some of the people who might doom the world already, naming The Kurgan and Hooke for starters. Connor notices an odd light from the window, and we see that the Village nearby is on fire. John Hooke is to blame, and he wants Vazilek and The Highlander. The issue ends as Vazilek and MacLeod stand ready to face Hooke and his men together as we draw ever closer to the time of The Gathering.
In Summary:
This was a great start to this series. The Highlander is back with a force, and his newest adventure may decide the fate of the world. The Gathering approaches, and is would seem to be one last fight between the Immortals of the world. Whoever wins gains tremendous power, and as Vazilek points out, the person who gets the power matters immensely. People like The Kurgan and John Hooke seek nothing but terrible ends, and even our heroes, it seems, won’t be able to stand together for long once this event arrives. Connor’s first meeting with John has not gone so well for him, and only the timely intervention of Vazilek saved him. He’s in trouble if things continue that way. The art in this book is dark and mood-setting for most of the issue, being set in the era of the Civil War. It’s pretty good all things considered. The writing is pretty good too. It sets up all the important things we’ll need going forward, and the action was fast paced and there was definite conflict. The dialogue and characters all felt like they belonged and were written well. The tone seems to be going for the idea that the characters know what’s coming, and they all have ideas on what should happen when our big event arrives. As a first issue for the series, it does its job well and is actually a pretty good read. I’d recommend this book and say give it a chance, it may just surprise you.
Grade: A-
Released By: IDW Publishing
Release Date: February 22nd, 2017
MSRP: $3.99
