CREDIT: Oni Press
Rating: 4/5 – Wonky Post-Apocalyptic Mayhem With Sentient Vehicles!
by ComicSpectrum EiC Bob Bretall.
I love Ulises Farinas’ art. It’s got a Brandon Graham/Geof Darrow kind of vibe with its fine lines delineating all kinds of details. This new series from Oni is not only illustrated by Farinas, it’s also co-written by him (with Erick Freitas). The tale follows a super strong boy, Motro, and his tiny (maybe 6 inches high) sentient motorcycle through a post-apocalyptic landscape populated with weird marauders who put Mad Max movies to shame (…and the marauders have sentient tanks). Did I mention the sentient mechanicals speak in emojis? Well, they do, just to kick up the weirdness another notch.
Farinas’ design of the world and its inhabitants is the main draw of this book for me. Wonderfully weird creatures and characters, exaggerated action, fun dialogue, and creative emojis and sound effects all come together to make Motro like no other comic on the racks today. The story, so far, is fairly simple, and I wouldn’t want to spoil what there is of it by recounting the actions that were most entertaining for me here. This is a book that should be flipped through and if the visuals draw you in, I think you’ll be entertained.
Motro is not for younger kids because of the level of violence (like a fist literally punching a guy’s face in) but should be suitable for teens who are not adversely affected by comical levels of graphic violence. This isn’t a book I pre-ordered, but I was drawn into it by the art when I browsed a sample copy. I look forward to more of the world building by Farinas and Freitas, as well as more development of Motro and his story/backstory. I want to know what makes him and this world tick. Making me care what happens is what is bringing me back for #2, so the job of issue #1 was successfully carried out. I’m looking forward to Dec 14th, when issue #2 should be hitting the stands.
Reviewed by: Bob Bretall
(bob@comicspectrum.com)
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