Small Press Idol has been interesting to say the least. I have to admit that the work produced from the contest has been impressive. Faction #0 written by Erik Hendrix and illustrated by Arnie Gordon is the first finished book I’ve read from this crazy contest and I must admit that I’m impressed. From the sharp artwork to the dark storyline; Faction shines.
The Plot
The year is 2025 and the worlds’ governments are focused on eradicating the escalating terrorist threat in the Middle East secretly supported by the demonic Den Malignity. This effort has left Master Sergeant Acker Kinney, a Special Ops Medic, scarred and short an arm, forever changed.
When Acker is attacked by a demonic minion while recovering from his wounds in a military hospital, he is saved by Knights from the Society of the Enlightened. Soon he will be one of them; men and women blessed by God with countless lifetimes of knowledge and rediscovered powers.
The Society and the Den Malignity, enemies in an eternal struggle, must react when other factions, long thought banished or destroyed, rise to reclaim what was theirs. The Society and its knights must determine in this changed landscape who their allies and enemies are as factions vie for a stake in the world’s destiny.
The schemes of gods, the desires of demons, the powers of nature, myth, and the supernatural – all set forth to control a world the Society has sworn to protect. This is Faction.
The Writing
I don’t want to say that Erik’s writing was surprisingly good, because that makes it sound like I was expecting his writing to be bad. The truth is that I have read Erik’s rants within the confines of his blog “The Last Bard” and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Faction’s plot-line, character development, and dialogue is wonderful. Some new writers come off pretentious, as if they are talking down to you. Erik on the other hand has done an incredible job of writing a script that, while having complex characters, and concepts, never seems to become overwhelming. Faction is a well written first effort; I’m intrigued. I’ll be interested in following the career of Mr. Hendrix, I’m sure that his comic book career will abound with cool surprises.
The Art
Let’s talk about Arnie Gordon for a minute. I have followed “Small Press Idol” pretty close and I have watched Faction go from concept to finished book. The fun of SPI is how often you change your mind while following a title. There were moments in which I lost faith in Arnie, I’ll admit it. Some of his character profile pictures just didn’t float my boat. I was wrong. When you pick up, or download a copy of Faction #0, I think you will agree that those fears were unfounded. Arnie’s artwork is awesome! The characters are crisp, tight, well thought out designs. The book is black and white, which for some artists seems to pose a real dilemma, but Mr. Gordon’s work thrives in this monochrome world. I hope that one day, they reprint this issue in color. If it looks this good in gray I can only imagine how incredible color will make it.
The Verdict
Faction #0 is a great book. It does what an issue #0 must do. It’s an introduction to the characters and the world that they inhabit. Faction is a fantastic first effort. Where does it go from here? I guess we will find out with issue #1.
P.S.
If you would like to purchase a copy for your own collection here’s the skinny:
#1. Order direct – http://www.dimestoredistro.com. Look up Faction, or item DSP-I09-F0. You can download for $2.00 or purchase the printed version for $3.50 plus postage BEFORE AUGUST 31st!
Here is the easy, just click on the link way to order:
1. PRINT COPY – http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-2274.html
2. PDF DOWNLOAD – http://www.dimestoredistro.com/faction-0-dl-2275.html#2. Go to your local comic book store and give them the below retailer information, explaining that you want them to carry the book and, well, hopefully they will!
So far you can download a copy or order it direct. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Faction in other formats before we turn around.
Faction Links
Blog: http://thelastbardsblog.blogspot.com/
The Website: http://beardedladyonline.com/faction/index.html
DimeStore: http://www.dimestoredistro.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/ewhendrix?__a=1
Bearded Lady: http://beardedladyonline.com/
[...] Fodder: Faction: Issue #0 Promises More Awesomeness to Come http://www.ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com Faction #0 Review*|*Hero Spy Faction #0 – Project Fanboy thank you, Erik Hendrix Writer – Faction erik@beardedladyonline.com [...]