What do you see?
Creative Staff:
Story: Fred Van Lente
Art: Stephen Segova
Colors: Elmer Santos and Andrew Dalhouse
Letters: Dave Sharpe
What They Say:
BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT — WAR MOTHER RETURNS IN A RIVETING NEW SERIES! Out of the pages of 4001 A.D., the breakout hero of 41st century charges onward in an high-powered tale of tomorrow from New York Times best-selling writer Fred Van Lente (ARCHER & ARMSTRONG) and high-octane artist Stephen Segovia (NINJAK, Action Comics)!
Two millennia from today, Earth is not the hospitable home we once we knew. Ravaged by an endless onslaught of war, disaster, and time, the world is littered with desolate badlands, fortified kingdoms, and secretive enclaves where humanity still clings to life… Enclaves like The Grove – Earth’s last known repository of scientific knowledge and bioengineered prosperity. Now, under the leadership of the lone protector called WAR MOTHER and her sentient sniper rifle, the denizens of The Grove face a critical choice: remain where they are and die, or find a new land and flourish. Can War Mother lead her people out of isolation and reignite the fires of a dying planet? And even if she can locate the distant citadel she seeks, can she fight back the horrors and perverse monstrosities that lurk just beyond her doorstep?
In the footsteps of RAI and BOOK OF DEATH, raw power meets tribal warfare as Fred Van Lente & Stephen Segovia forge a modern myth of the near future through the fire-tempered frontier of 41st century Earth for Valiant’s next stunning science-fiction showdown!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Fred Van Lente knows how to tell a good story.
War Mother begins in media res with the titular character (also called Ana) rescuing two Traders (biomechanical beings) from a group of Urbanites (blue bird monster people) in an abandoned high rise. Using her sentient sniper rifle Falco—her “war son”—Ana makes short work of the monsters and reaches her original goal: to discover the source of a “memecast” that began broadcasting a message of hope and sanctuary a week ago.
Sanctuary is a paramount concern on Earth in the 41st century. Thanks to wars, plagues, and general human stupidity, much of the world stands a barren wasteland with a few habitable pockets. One such pocket was the Grove—an oasis created by organic technology ruled by the tyrant Sylvan. The only person allowed to leave the Grove was Ana, because of her position as warrior and chief resource collector. In the end, Ana killed Sylvan, both liberating and dooming the Grove.
It turns out Sylvan was more than just the leader, he was the heart and mind of the Grove. Like a biomechanical Fisher King, his life and the life of the land were inextricably tied together, and with him dead, the Grove slowly dies, offering less food and protection. Now the people starve and scramble for the one slim hope they have: the sanctuary promised in the memecast.
After clearing the high rise of the Urbanites, the War Mother shoots off signal flares, letting the Grove know that it’s safe. Unfortunately, things aren’t quite what they seem, and she might have just sealed the fate of the people she swore to protect.
War Mother #1 balances action, world-building, and character development very well. In thirty-two pages we learn who the characters are, what they want, why they want it, and the general shape and state of their world. The issue also juggles several conflicts at once: the threat of monsters and the environment; the threat of the Grove dying, and interpersonal conflicts between Ana and her husband, who feels lost in her shadow; and Ana’s own sense of guilt over the danger she inadvertently put the Grove in. The story moves from one conflict to the other, weaving them together in a tapestry of desperation and survival.
The art also delivers, especially when it comes to the setting. The environment is a key component of a work like this, and Stephen Segovia, Elmer Santos, and Andrew Dalhouse bring it to life, making it feel like a living, breathing place full of history and danger.
As befitting all good first issues, War Mother ends on a cliffhanger, and the mystery and danger will only increase as the story goes along. I, for one, look forward to seeing where it all goes.
In Summary:
War Mother #1 delivers the goods with a solid and engaging first issue. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with Fred Van Lente. Dr. J gives this an….
Grade: A
Age Rating: T+
Released By: Valiant Comics
Release Date: 23 August 2017
MSRP: $3.99
