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Rob is a delivery courier for the Overlords, his brother is a rebel launching attacks on Overlord property and his girlfriend, Lyndsey, is the daughter of the police.  In Strongarm #1, writer Steve Horton and artist David Ahn create an unspecified and ambiguous future.  All we know is that the Overlords aren’t ones to be crossed.

When we meet Rob, he’s close to having his head taken off by someone with a cybernetic arm.  Grabbing a bat from his bike, he literally takes off the thugs head.  Rob ends up as surprised as we are as the thug’s cybernetic (or whatever) arm starts crawling up Rob’s own arm.

Strongarm #1 is a quick book, almost too quick as it introduces a number of characters and does little with them.  Concepts are thrown out there (Overlords?) with little explanation.  The book moves rapidly sometimes forgetting to actually introduce or build up its characters.  Rob is given little development this issue, making it hard to even care about the character by the end of the issue.  The only character given much story and history is Lyndsey.  Not too surprisingly, she turns out to be the most interesting character in the comic; perhaps she’s the only character in the comic as she shares the pages with a number of cutout characters, holding their space until some development can hopefully be given to them in future issues.

David Ahn’s manga-like artwork is energetic and evocative at times.  He manages to nicely pull off the science fiction aspects of the issue as well as the quieter personal moments.  The scenes with Lyndsey are nicely done, helping give the issue its own character and personality.

Strongarm #1 isn’t a bad comic; it’s just not a compelling issue.  People and situations are set up but little drama is actually set up; too little to bring you back for a second issue at this point.

Strongarm #1
Written by: Steve Horton
Drawn by: David Ahn
Lettered by: Johnny Lowee
Toning by: Angela Ahn & Rhodan Belo

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