Super soldiers and superheroes all packed into one action-packed volume.

SOLDIERS, GOVERNMENT LIES, AND SUPERPOWERS.

Note: The following review goes into MINOR detail about the comic. SPOILER ALERT-ish!

This week we have been lucky enough to review one of Titan Comics’ latest pieces, Ai Presents Odyssey HC Vol. 1. It is the combined collection of the work from writer David Elliott of Weirding Willows fame and artists Garrie Gastonny formerly of Supergod. From the outside looking in, my initial thoughts were that this looked as if it were something along the lines of a Captain America spin-off, thankfully after reading through I can say that Odyssey is strong enough to stand on its own and break away from that skepticism.

Up first though, let’s take a closer look at the story and universe that makes up Odyssey. Set in America closer to present day, the story follows John Wilson, who after a series of odd events such as enlisting in the military and being thrusted into a ceremony was turned into a superhero of sorts who now goes by the oh so patriotic alias of “Blaze of Glory.” After Blaze is transformed into a super soldier and comes into his own, he then goes against the axis forces in World War II, helping the allies achieve victory and stays placed in the military up through the Iraq War.

The latter parts of the book are spent pitting John/Blaze up against other foes of a similar caliber and other military forces. It also goes into detail about his personal life as a character and the damage he’s taken considering that he hasn’t aged since the 1940s. The action throughout the entire piece is almost non-stop, with there only being a few page breaks between fight scenes and battles that are always bloody and reminiscent of a Tarantino movie scene.

Perhaps my favorite part of the entire first volume of Odyssey is the artwork. The collective effort from Garrie Gastonny and Toby Cypress on the linework for this was simply awesome. Every page presented a very gritty, militaristic feel that at times also gave off of a noir based sensation. Aside from that, the color and ink work by Miralti Firmansyah and Sakti Yuwono really brought everything, adding nice, vibrant colors that compliment the linework already established perfectly without being too loud for the tone of story and setting.

THE BREAKDOWN

For those who are fans superpowers, war, and military forces being tossed into one story, this is going fit your interest nicely. Although the story isn’t breaking any real boundaries, at least not in this volume, the first collection of Odyssey offers an awesome action-packed ride that is sure to entertain. With superb artwork complimenting a fast-paced, pleasurable read, this is a sure pick up for those looking for some new and entertaining reading to add to their comics list.

Have you picked up ‘Odyssey Vol.1?’ If so, what did you think of the first collection of issues? Let us know in the comments below.

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*This review of Ai Presents Odyssey HC Vol. 1 is based on a digital copy of the graphic novel provided by Titan Comics.