[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Karl Kesel
Art: Tom Grummett
Colors: Ben Dimagmaliw
Letters: Richard Starkings
Summary
So, the best way to summarize this book is to let one of the characters do the talking: “Section Zero is a Secret Section of the United Nations Charter which perpetually funds an international team of experts to explore and investigate unexplained phenomena worldwide.”
Got it? Good. The setting is the year 2000, when all things seem possible. The characters are Tina, the leader of Section Zero who is a doctor and knows pretty much everything; Sam, the muscle and ex-husband of Tina; Tesla, an alien who looks like every alien picture you have ever seen and they pick up Thom, a boy who has a tattoo who turns him into a bug. There is a bloke called A.J. Keeler who is the contact for the team at the UN and he may not be what seems.
Positives
This book has a lot of potential. I like the idea of a one world government organization that investigates things that go bump in the night. I also like that this is going to be a mini-series. We are going to get a story and it will begin and it will end. That is not to say that we can’t see more down the line, but the idea that we know that we will have some sort of conclusion is a positive. Karl Kesel is on board so that is always fun. He never seems to take anything too seriously, but the characters he writes always do. It is a fine line and he walks it perfectly. The character Tesla is an excellent example of this. He seems like the is going to be the smartest one in the room, but he has some fun, child-like qualities that are endearing.
Grummett’s work here is spot on for the era in which the story takes place. The details are important. Keeler’s computer is era specific as is Sam’s haircut and facial hair. Nothing is overdrawn or too specific. There are some excellent facial expressions from Tina so that we learn a lot about her without her having to say too much.
Negatives
While I enjoy the artwork by Grummett, I don’t really understand why the leader of the team, who happens to be the only woman on the team, is wearing a one piece swimsuit when everyone else is fully clothed. I know the book is set in the year 2000, but it is 2019 right now so…
Also, this is pretty exposition heavy, which is to be expected in issue 1, but if you are looking for a lot of action, this is not your book.
Verdict
This is a fun first start. It seem to fill the void for folks who love Future Quest and for folks who miss the X-files. I am a HUGE fan of Karl Kesel so I have faith in him. You should too.
