Safety is fleeting … especially around people you can never trust.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Ralph Tedesco
Artwork: Oliver Borges
Colors: Fran Gamboa with J.C. Ruiz & Maxflan Araujo
Letters: Carlos M. Mangual
What They Say:
When Eve returns to Liberty – the stronghold where she was raised – she reconnects with her brother who works for a ruthless gang leader named Gillings. And when old debts are asked to be paid in the form of murder, Eve must find a way to save not only her brother, but her soul.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
On the highway once known as Route 76, somewhere between the sectors of Keystone and Liberty, two boys stumble upon a devastating wreck of transport trucks and crashed motorcycles, and while the more cautious one wants to leave, his curious friend wishes to investigate what was left behind. With numerous supplies scattered around the carnage, they hesitate to grab what they can, before an ominous dust cloud on the horizon signals what they dreaded – the arrival of primals. Meanwhile in their hometown of Longview, Eve shares a celebratory drink with her friend Morgan after she tells him of her retirement from being a courier, causing both to cough from the liquor’s strength before going outside. However as she begins to leave, the mischievous teens arrive and in panic begin to tell of their encounter with the creatures, prompting Harper to send Artie to scout the area and confirm their story. But as the annoying drone scans the crash site and spots several primals consuming the human remains, he also confirms the owner of the cargo due to the word Gillings printed on the blood splattered boxes. But as she relays the grim news, Morgan begrudgingly tells his friend that Liam is once again working for this vicious man, much to her shock as she thought her brother was waiting in Tar Heel.
Assuring Morgan that she will ride to the wreckage to lure off the primals, Eve arrives and rescues a survivor of the gang who tried to ambush the caravan, before heading to meet with the owner in his stronghold of Liberty. After passing a security checkpoint and asking to see the leader, Harper is told Gillings is in a meeting with his section managers, which ends with a bloody outcome. While the guard refuses to allow Eve to enter the room, it is this ruthless man who recognizes the voice of an old friend, enthusiastically introducing the survivors to a woman who is like a little sister to him, before informing her that Liam is off on an errand. Although she cannot meet her brother now, Russell states that the wayward sibling will be at the birthday party for his sister Ada tonight, insisting that she attend even as she balks to the proposition since she has nothing to wear. After a visit to the most expensive shop and a raving change of clothes, Eve hesitantly surrenders to liquid courage and greets her hosts, before spotting the missing brother and berating him for not staying in Tar Heel and wasting the money she spent to release him from Gillings’ prior employ. But as their meeting ends with a terse disagreement, Russell finds his friend and requests she accompany his retrieval crew for the missing shipment and special cargo, and while she is surprised about this nighttime search, Harper agrees as long as Liam stays behind in Liberty, to with the supposedly trustworthy man agrees with her unwavering demands.
In Summary:
While this series may be a continuation of the prior The Courier: From the Ashes, writer Ralph Tedesco has managed to construct the narrative in a manner by which prior knowledge of Eve’s adventures within that series is not necessary to understand current events, which is fortunate since this new book is advertised as a Launch title. However for those faithful fans who enjoyed the aforementioned book, there is regrettably no manner to connect that conclusion to the present, nor are we given an understanding of how she found herself in Longview, which is disappointing since the prior series ended four years ago, which may not have been long for Harper, but a few words or a slight visual exposition could have enlightened loyal readers as to her exploits until now. But if we deem to overlook this minor issue, Tedesco has once again crafted a sobering image of a possible future where people try their best to exist within an unforgiving landscape, with Eve at the center of this struggle to survive between the primals and ruthless gang leaders such as Gillings. To leap head first into this conflict is not difficult since we have seen this type of skirmish within numerous post-apocalyptic tales, and to see it unfold once again allows the audience an unusual insight into the drives which fuels opposing sides – a desire to exist versus the want for unyielding control over others. This undemanding scenario allows for the story to be presented without a need for much background explanation, permitting such basic drives such as food to strike a common chord within the reader, and allowing us to understand the unfolding of events in simplistic terms. To see Morgan and his group seeking to scavenge what they can to live another day, the riders who ambushed the caravan with the same intentions, but above all is Gillings – a power hungry man who does what he pleases to protect his domain, whether it be harassing for protection money, punishing those who have stolen from those resources or retrieving his cargo at the cost of replaceable guards. But at the same time, thanks to a familiar storyline, this opening gambit concerning Eve in a nocturnal excursion is predictable with the results something to be expected, especially since she has encountered the Divinity from the first series, and they will most likely not be forgiving in stealing their property or killing their members.
And yet even with such a formulaic story, it is the bleak uncertainty portrayed by the uncompromising artwork of Oliver Borges with crisp linework and stern details which grounds the narrative, allowing for the harshness of the environment to be so willfully expressed upon the faces of desperate actors – both human and primal. But what solidifies the stark adversity within this title is the sobering color selection so eloquently applied to the panoramic atmosphere by colorists Fran Gamboa, J.C. Ruiz and Maxflan Araujo, with the muted palette painting a somber mood to the narrative, made all the more depressing thanks to a sheer haze of grey shadows which covers every panel. The reader cannot but become engrossed by the transitional darkness which pervades each page, even as we watch Eve become entangled with trouble which she could easily avoid, it is her sense of justice which is so easily etched upon her face that endears this forceful woman to the audience, made all the more complex once she decides to do the right thing with an ingrained sense of irritation after she hears who originally owned the cargo and becoming angry to realize her brother has fallen into Gillings’ crew once again. You cannot but succumb the tragic moral dilemma which is so movingly displayed on her face with each choice, made all the more painful thanks to Borges’ remorseful illustrations, becoming all the more poignant thanks to the collective tonal selection from the talented colorists. However even as we witness Harper’s tragic journey to Liberty, it is the foul corruption within that unveils another side of this story, which is almost forgotten due to the stunning image of Eve in her captivating lilac evening gown, tantalizingly extenuating every seductive curve which is made all the more stunning due to her usual costume covering every touch of skin in motorcycle chic. And while we may be tempted to forget the darkness which hides just out of reach due to a glimpse of tempting leg or suggestive cleavage, it is the ugly underbelly of the narrative which shockingly reminds us there are much more disgusting elements of the foulness outside yet to come.
The Courier: Liberty and Death is sobering reminder that not every story is required to begin with a pleasant beginning to be an effective carrier of human emotions, it just needs a motivating undertone to engender itself within the reader. And thanks to gritty artwork and an almost smothering selection of grounding colors, this title succeeds in compelling the audience to become entangled within Eve’s story, even if the foundation seems intensely familiar. But as the tension builds and we are once again plunged into the terrors of this world, one cannot but hope the journey will take a much needed turn from the ordinary in order to show its readers the welcomed anticipation of the unexpected.
Grade: A
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: January 20, 2021
MSRP: $5.99
