GENIUS #1 Review

Is this worth a purchase? Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

GENIUS: ISSUES 1-5, WEEKLY THROUGHOUT AUGUST

The Winner of Top Cow’s Pilot Season makes its triumphant return to print! What if the greatest military mind of our generation was born to a people who are already supremely conditioned to wage war, who know nothing but violence since birth, and must continually adapt to new predators in order to survive? What if the second coming of Alexander the Great, of Genghis Khan, of Napoleon, of Patton…what if it was a teenaged girl from South Central, L.A. named Destiny? And what if she decides to secede three blocks of the ‘Hood from the Union? Who is going to take it back from her and her army of gangbangers?

When it comes to my weekly pile of reviews and brand new properties, I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised when something proves to be both original and highly entertaining. And that’s exactly what we get from this #1, as the intrepid creative team behind it builds a narrative with fascinating implications.

Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman both earn recognition for crafting a script that takes urban warfare to a whole new level. Their main character and our chief antagonist or protagonist, depending on your perspective, shows her level of intellect against not only lawmen but the ganbangers now under her control. It’s a compelling body of text that puts smarts and strategy before over reaction with dialogue that keeps Destiny, her allies and the cops locked squarely into their societal roles.

The illustrations handed in by Afua Richardson are quirky from beginning to end. We see a highly stylized version of reality that manages to convey the paths of this tale while giving room for the emotions contained in this troubled but outlandish situation. There were a few instances where I thought that some of the players and their expressions were a tad bit over the top but truth be told it never took me out of the experience. Instead I flipped through and enjoyed what was visualized.

Genius #1 is the beginning of a weekly series that proves the prowess of its creative team with each sequential page turn. It’s clear they know what they’re doing and I for one can’t wait to see how this war turns out for our gutsy fighters and the police in their midst. Recommended.