CREDIT: Image
Rating: 4/5 – Savior has Made a Believer out of Me.
by ComicSpectrum senior reviewer Shawn Hoklas
Savior isn’t exactly what you’d expect from the creative team of Todd McFarlane, Brian Holguin and Clayton Crain. Savior so far is a much more subdued read that deals with the questions of faith and belief. Savior reads much like a movie and the art at times, especially towards the end, takes on a very cinematic feel. Savior isn’t a superhero book and honestly, I’m not sure which direction the book is headed and that’s a very good thing.
Savior starts six months in the future in a small town in Kansas. A television reporter is in front of a courthouse informing viewers that the “samaritan” is being escorted inside. Around the reporter are groups of people on both sides either holding up signs that he’s a fraud, or on the other side where someone in the crowd is begging for him to touch their hand. McFarlane and Holguin do a great job of putting the reader smack dab in the middle of the opposing viewpoints, much like the main character Cassie Hale who we meet when the story jumps back in time by six months. Cassie is a smartly written character who first encounters the Savior after a tragic event. That horrific tragedy is beautifully drawn by artist Clayton Crain.
I’ve recently caught up on Valiant’s Rai by Crain and his art in that book is stunning, so I was pleasantly surprised to see his name attached to this new series by Image. Although the art isn’t as polished as it feels in Rai, it’s still solid enough throughout leading into a jaw dropping conclusion. At times early on Crain’s painted look can look muddied and his faces lose detail and depth. That happens a couple times throughout this issue especially when there’s multiple characters on the page. Also, although the opening pages are clever in it’s use of layouts and the small squared perspective from a cameraman, pulling back the camera to show more of the surrounding chaos of the moment may have given the scene more of an impact and showing just what type of effect this “savior” was having on the town.
Clayton Crain absolutely nails the ending of Savior #1 with a scene that made me feel like I was there. It’s a powerful finale that shows just how the savior comes to be, while at the same time leaves unanswered questions in the minds of the reader. Savior left me guessing and it’s supposed to. What do you believe? Where is your faith? McFarlane and Holguin look to explore these themes within the pages of Savior and so far they’re making a believer out out of me.
Reviewed by: Shawn Hoklas
(shawn@comicspectrum.com)
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