Skate Ali #1
Creative Team
writer: SAM HUMPHRIES
creators: SAM HUMPHRIES, KELLY SUE DECONNICK, NATACHA BUSTOS
letterer: JOSHUA REED
artist: NATACHA BUSTOS
illustrator: LUCIA FACCINI
publisher: DARK HORSE COMICS
In a dystopian future Los Angeles, the Department of Civic Integrity has one goal: keeping skateboarders off the streets. But even the threat of the DCI can’t stop lone wolf Skater Ali from chasing her dream: joining the ranks of the legendary Seven Skaters who have landed the infamous Big Red. Even after a failed attempt at crossing the dilapidated coaster’s gap lands her in the hospital with a broken arm and a prescription for “no more skating,” Ali makes her way back that night only to be drawn into the ranks of a city-wide skating clan war on a brand-new board that has a mind of its own.
Created by series writer Sam Humphries, artist Natacha Bustos, and Kelly Sue DeConnick, Skate Ali is a fun, magical realist tale that shines through Bustos’ fun designs and vibrant colors. Bustos’ future Los Angeles is pushed slightly out of time by towering, retro-futuristic building designs, and feels off-puttingly empty in the scenes we see of Ali skating through the streets to and from home – no one hanging out on foot or bikes or skates, no events, no lively crowds.
It feels calm, orderly, and largely joyless, the type of environmental worldbuilding that helps flesh out the universe Humphries drops us into with little fanfare. The story moves at a rapid clip but Ali’s narration and the lore never feel overwhelming or confusing – of course some skaters can access magical world-bending skate magic. Of course there are battling skater clans. Of course the city of Los Angeles employs their own skater-busting Sentinel robots.
That’s part of the fun of Skate Ali #1. We get to be a part of Ali’s world immediately, and every detail feels like an exciting new secret we’ll get to uncover with her. The quiet city, the silent admonishment of a nurse covering Ali’s cast in ‘no more skating,’ the gorgeous neon glow of the Skull Clan’s skater rush all come together to create a full world that will leave you itching for the next issue. Skate Ali is the perfect adventure to kick off the summer with.
Final Verdict
Skate Ali #1 is a gorgeous neon drop-in to a dystopian Los Angeles that feels familiar and thrillingly new thanks to Bustos’ colors and Humphries’ snappy dialogue and pacing. Skate Ali #1 sets up what promises to be a high-octane ride through a classic ‘80s style teen action comedy with a supernatural twist.
| Criteria | Score |
|---|---|
| Writing | 9 |
| Story/Plot | 9 |
| Art/Line Work | 9 |
| Colors | 10 |
| Final Score | 9.2/10 |
