ARCBOUND #1 / Script by SCOTT SNYDER & FRANK TIERI / Charter Development by TOM HARDY / Art by RYAN SMALLMAN / Colors by FRANK WILLIAM / Letters by BUDDY BEAUDOIN/ Covers by RYAN SMALLMAN, DAN PANOSIAN, CLAY MANN, TYLER KIRKHAM, ROSE BESCH & RYAN OTTLEY / Published by DARK HORSE COMICS
In the future, the Earth is a barren wasteland. Yet humanity has moved on to the stars, colonizing many worlds. Here, the Zynitec Corporation searches the cosmos for Kronium to power the technology and weapons that support their society. To that end, Zynitec employs a private army of Mediators, to pacify those worlds unwilling to offer up their resources.
Kai is a veteran Mediator, who has begun to question the mission of Zynitec and the morality of his actions. In particular, he questions the existence of Arcs – synthetic bodies empowered by Kronium, employed to work the mines owned by Zynitec. An unexplained message will lead Kai to explore the true meaning of humanity in a world where technology and identity blur the lines.
There are countless science-fiction stories that have explored the ethics of colonization, militarization, environmental exploitation, slavery, and synthetic life. Arcbound is notable, however, in its execution. While the base elements revealed as this first issue establishes the setting are familiar, Scott Snyder and Frank Tieri deliver a stirring introduction to the characters and concepts devised by actor Tom Hardy. The artwork, too, is noteworthy, with Ryan Smallman having a good eye for action. The muted colors by Frank William hint at the decay of this space-fairing society. The fonts utilized by Buddy Beaudoin likewise add a subtle emphasis to certain bits of the dialogue.
Ironically, some comic readers many avoid Arcbound for the same reason filmgoers will seek it out. There is a stigma that any comic that is developed by a celebrity will be of poor quality. Thankfully, that is not the case with Arcbound. This first chapter is one of the most gripping works of science-fiction I’ve seen in any medium in some time. I will be looking forward to the remaining 11 issues.
Arcbound #1 arrives in comic shops on November 13, 2024.
