Lettered by: Chris Sotomayor
Published by: IDW Publishing
Following on from the events in the seminal Empire mini series, Waid and Kitson are back and offering us the first issue of Empire: Uprising. The tyrant Golgoth, the first super-villain to actually conquer the world, is faced with shadowy forces wishing to bring him down and restore freedom.Considering the creative talent behind the book, you would be disappointed if you didn’t get a solid offering from this book. And, from first page to last, what you get is a solid piece of comic craft. The plot and pace are, as you would expect, right on the mark.
The issue itself is a glossy affair, with the requisite elements of story, characterization and pace all squared away, and the explosive aspects to the story really set off the story. The action is bloody, visceral and suitably gory. The bloody aspect is a nice touch and adds to the story.Empire Uprising is a serious comic, we don’t have time for mirth or comedic turns. The tyrant is absolute, the regime is without equal and the implications of the tyranny is well explored in this first issue. The rule of Golgoth permeates through every strata of society.
As crisp as the story is, the artwork is equal to it in every regard. From the layouts to the anatomy, to the framing of the images, everything is perfectly fine and dandy.
The fact that this is a solid book should not be overlooked. I think that part of the problem is that everything is so right, it’s almost Stepford kind of right. And that, in a way, is a problem. Maybe the expectation is too high, that when we receive a perfectly fine book, we feel a little disappointment with the fact that we are not blown away. That is a shame as the writing and artistry on display is very worthwhile, the story engages and entertains, the creative team lead the story from first panel to last very effectively. In terms of the book itself, this is a solid first issue of this series, one that should do enough to peak the readers interest to pick up #2.
