War Mother #1 Review

War Mother #1

Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Stephen Segovia
Colourist: Elmer Santos and Andrew Dalhouse
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: Valiant

A review by Josh Rose

War Mother #1 is about the leader of a small village in the post-apocalyptic year 4001 A.D.. Her village was once a paradise but is now dying and if she doesn’t find a new refuge for her people, they too will die. Ana finds the refuge, and negotiates with android traders, but there is a danger that only presents itself after Ana signals to her village that it’s safe to venture out.

Fred Van Lente has introduced us to a brand new world. Sure, we’ve seen glimpses of it in the Valiant series Rai, but that was focused on New Japan which orbited the earth, and we saw part of it in War Mother‘s first appearance in 4001 A.D. War Mother #1.

This is the first time we really get to explore this new world fully. There are humans with technology so advanced beyond their understanding it’s like magic. There are savages that prey on android traders, and a talking gun named Flaco! But it’s not all futuristic wastelands and monstrous creatures. There are some very real emotions, and relationships in this as well. Family is going to be a very important theme in this series.

War Mother #1 also has some incredible artwork. Starting off with a peaceful scene of a jungle that’s reclaimed a city, it quickly changes to show that not everything is so peaceful. Stephen Segovia does a fantastic job showcasing Ana’s skills with Flaco as she rescues the traders from the Urbanite savages, which look super creepy.

Elmer Santos and Andrew Dalhouse’s colours are wonderful to look at. Their sunset looked like a real sunset with the fade from orange to pink to purple. You can see the progression as more and more purples take over the skies with each page.

The Verdict
Buy it! War Mother #1 is a futuristic adventure through a world we would never recognize. With plenty of action and gorgeous artwork, this is a story about a badass woman with a big, talking gun. Perfect for new and old readers alike, I would recommend this to anyone looking to explore the Valiant Universe, whether the first time or not, and to anyone looking for stories about a strong female character.