Some days it really feels like the world is ending.
This week we are taking a look at Promethee 13:13, the latest book from ABLAZE, a publishing company I have not really spoken much about, but increasingly I find their books creeping into my pull each week. They’re a small company, but they are making big waves, and putting out some killer books, so let’s crack into this latest entry and see what they have in store for us this week.
Here’s the blurb:
Andy Diggle (The Losers, Thief of Thieves, Hellblazer, Uncanny), Shawn Martinbrough (Thief of Thieves, Batman: Detective Comics, The Black Panther, Hellboy), Dave Stewart (Hellboy, DC: The New Frontier, The Umbrella Academy), and Jock (Batman, The Losers) bring you a psychological sci-fi horror comic full of alien conspiracy…
What if you knew the world was about to end? What would you be willing to do to save the people you love? Darla Clemenceau has been plagued by apocalyptic visions ever since she was abducted by a UFO as a child. Now, she’s ready to put it all behind her and move on with her life. But what if it’s all true? A dangerous cult militia is prepping for the end of the world, and they see Darla as the key to their survival… Meanwhile, something alien is awakening on the dark side of the Moon, and the crew of the space shuttle Atlantis have a rendezvous with destiny… Promethee 13:13 tells the thrilling fast-paced space drama leading up to the moments of September 21, 2019 at 13:13.
This book is a prequel to a series of comics in the Promethee line from Comixology, and so for readers of that series, this book is going to have a lot of set up for events they are already aware of.
But me? I have not read any of them, and so I will be jumping into this review cold. Does that mean that I am going to miss stuff that other readers will get? Absolutely. Does that affect my reading of the book? Not in the slightest,
See, I like jumping into comics like this from time to time because it really lets me see the talent of the creative team behind the book. It’s easy to crap out a semi related spin off story to an already completed franchise (cough, cough, Star Wars, cough) but if the team behind the book really knows what they are doing, then a series should be able to stand on it’s own without having to lean too heavily on what has come before.
So with that in mind, is Promethee 13:13 a comic that anyone could pick up and have a good time with? Well, I am pleased to say the answer to that question is yes. Even though I knew nothing about this world going in, I still enjoyed the story and am interested in seeing where it goes from here.
So, what is that story? Promethee 13:13 opens with the character of Darla Clemenceau, UFO abductee, psychic, doomsday prophet, and conspiracy theory circuit speaker. She’s been taking her meds for a while now, and decides that she wants to tell the world that it’s all been mental illness. None of it happened, she thinks, but did it?
This book takes some fun twists and turns, and while I don’t want to give too much away, I will say that I was thoroughly entertained throughout this entire first issue. There are some real creative heavy hitters contributing to Promethee 13:13, with some pretty eye catching covers by Jock to boot.
Solid art, good storytelling, and an interesting premise, this book has a lot going for it, and definitely deserves a recommendation.
This is a prequel that makes me want to investigate the rest of the series, and really see where this story will go. If you’re a fan of this series, let me know below what you thought of this, and if you’ve never read it to you agree that it was worth the read?
That’s it for me folks! See you next week! Stay Safe.
