Christopher is your average, ordinary, every-day dude looking for meaning in life beyond his job as a paint salesman. Unfortunately for him, the only ones who seem interested in his future are the strange Reclamation cult who believe that some humans are really just the prison of rebellious gods sent to the Earth for punishment. Of course, in Ordinary Gods #1, that just so happens to be the case.

This is the part where I sing the praises of this book to the highest heavens. The book starts off with high-intensity action to grab the reader right away, sets up the world in a Lord of the Rings movie-esque expository scene that is just the right amount of length, and then perfectly executes the character building of our main protagonist Christopher. The humanity of Christopher is so well established in so brief a time that the shocking events that occur at the end of this issue carry an amplified gut-punch to the reader. Additionally, while the history of the gods is sprinkled throughout the main story, the transitions between scenes are masterfully handled in a way that is logical to readers and keeps the story fresh. The juxtaposition between an epic war in heaven and the slice of life for Joe Schmoe is a brilliant touch.

The artwork and coloring also make this issue shine all the brighter, with the detailed, hand-drawn feel that adds authenticity to the godlike beings and the unsuspecting human cast. The variety of coloring matches each setting perfectly, and oftentimes, the contrast between colors makes the individual panels stand out that much more.

Ordinary Gods #1 is an excellently-paced debut issue that blends ideas from The Wicked + The Divine and The Bourne Identity into a wholly unique adventure that is sure to be an instant fan-favorite. Our introduction to the world and the characters is near divinely-inspired, and I eagerly anticipate the following issues to see how this universe will expand and how our godlike prisoners decide the fate of humanity.