Escape #1
Creative Team
writers: RICK REMENDER
artist/colorist: DANIEL ACUÑA
letterer: RUS WOOTON
publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Reviewed by Rossano D’Angelo
Escape #1 delves into the difficult topic of warfare with a gritty and raw story about sacrifice and loyalty.
Written by Rick Remender, the plot catapults readers directly into the middle of a bombing raid. The scene is intense and realistic and reminiscent of epic old school war films.
Escape #1 introduces us to Milton Shaw, a bomber pilot, and his crew as they fly over the enemy city they have been ordered to destroy. Readers will find that within the first few pages that panels are filled with soldiers grappling with the morals of the atrocities they're about to commit. A fierce enemy reaction comes just moments after the first bombs are deployed, and Milton and his fellow troopers are completely caught off guard. In the ensuing armed conflict, not everyone survives. But for Milton, death would have been a blessing. He manages to escape the destroyed aircraft, only to fall into the very enemy land he had just bombed, a landscape now reduced to ashes.
One of the most interesting things the reader will notice is how Remender uses animal symbolism to represent the different factions. The "good guys" are represented by a group of cats and dogs, a dynamic that clearly hints at the potential friction and uneasy alliances within their own ranks. On the other side, the enemy is depicted as a collective of bats, which are often associated with the darkness and the unknown. The gritty artwork by Daniel Acuña - who readers might also recognize from his recent collaboration with Chip Zdarsky on Avengers: Twilight - fits perfectly with the gravity of the story. Acuña excels at merging realism with surreal elements, making the presence of anthropomorphic animals feel both uncanny and oddly believable. His use of dark palettes adds weight to each scene, giving the artwork a decisive tone that reinforces the story’s tension and complexity. Finally, Remender leaves little room for ambiguity: the reader will notice how the uniforms of the enemy faction create a distinct and unsettling visual link to the Nazi regime.
Final Verdict
Escape #1 is a powerful start to what promises to be an epic series. Writer Rick Remender tackles the brutal realities of war, focusing on themes of sacrifice and loyalty with a raw honesty. Daniel Acuña's artwork complements the script with a gritty and realistic style that makes every page feel urgent and heightened.
| Criteria | Score |
|---|---|
| Writing | 9.5 |
| Story/Plot | 9.5 |
| Art/Line Work | 9.5 |
| Colors | 9.5 |
| Final Score | 9.5/10 |