Jinnrise #1 Review


Is this fantastical alien invasion worth a curious readers time?  Read on to find out.

The official description from IDW:

Part 1: “Manifest Destiny.” International student Andrew Marcus’ world is torn asunder when interstellar forces, the “Kibrani,” invade earth. With all hope seemingly lost, humanity’s last chance may be a long-despised and forgotten race: the Jinn (otherwise known as “genies”)! But are they our hope… or greatest fear? Combining the best of summer blockbuster fare and quest myths like Lord of the Rings, Jinnrise is a modern re-introduction to global myth.

The idea of otherworldly and advanced creatures invading Earth is certainly something that’s been explored in the past, but trust me the narrative has never been told featuring a Genie.  Beyond that added bit of flavor the creative team works in a brilliant unison in order to deliver a tale that is certainly special in its own right.

The star of this literary jaunt is the script by Sohaib Awan, which manages to mix fantasy and science fiction with a solid helping of human drama.  The dialogue in this comic book is rather minimal as the inner narration of our main character, Andrew Marcus, takes center stage during the initial attack from the Kibrani.  The result is a naturally flowing but wholly honest account of some truthfully harrowing events, and as each word propels the narrative forward the author displays a lot of inherent skill from page to proverbial page.

The art by Tony Vassallo is a welcome addition to this romp as it augments the entirety of this rather epic experience.  The unique design sense easily brings life to the written word with some kinetic panels that are full of fluid motion at they believably yield a visceral experience.  With that said there were times where faces looked a tad bit off ultimately detracting from some key moments, but overall these were few and far between.

Jinnrise #1 is an exceptional beginning to this alien invasion, as it successfully introduces an intriguing concept while getting the ball rolling on some very early but nonetheless compelling character development.  Recommended.

4/5

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