Leviathan #1

Writer: John Layman
Artist: Nick Pitarra
Colorist: Michael Garland
Publisher: Image

Review by Michael Farris, Jr.

Leviathan #1 introduces us to Ryan Deluca, who is currently throwing a pretty lame party due to the lack of alcohol at his apartment. While he and his friend Johnny are making a beer run, Goth Jimmy decides this is the perfect time to practice satanic rituals and summon a hell creature into the city. Unfortunately, they get more than they bargained for, and soon the city is faced with a Kaiju-style monster invasion.

This comic grabs you from the first two pages. You get set up with ominous snapshots of kids leaving a Kaiju marathon, a minister reading through end time prophecies in Revelation, and a crazy homeless guy making proclamations about a perilous reckoning soon at hand. And then we jump to a familiar awkward party situation. That’s one of the things I think this comic does well: despite the overblown circumstances, a lot of the situations and people seem uncomfortably familiar and relatable.

I doubt any of us will have a giant, lava- spewing dragon invading our localities anytime soon, but we all know the pain of hosting a party and feeling like you’re failing to entertain the guests. Not only that, but then there’s that friend (who maybe wasn’t even invited) that shows up and completely ruins it. This comic takes those fears to the worst conclusion possible, and it’s a lot of fun to see it happen.

And my goodness…the artwork. This comic is a glorious mess. The characters are oddly proportioned, the city is hectic, and the creature design is a sight to behold. I couldn’t take my eyes off that dragon in the two-page spread where it first appears. I don’t know I’ve ever made that amount of pencil strokes in my life, and the color makes everything that much more intense. It all fits the bombastic nature of this book.

Verdict: Buy it.

Leviathan #1 had a promising premise, and it delivered. The start of this series was such a fun ride that I honestly found myself wondering how the creative team will follow up, but I can’t wait to see how they pull it off.

Michael Farris Jr.
mokepf7@gmail.com
Michael is a Virginia-born Idaho convert (stuck in Georgia) and a huge fan of sci-fi. He took time off from comics and sci-fi during the dark years of being a teenager and trying to impress girls, but has since married an amazing woman with whom he regularly can geek out and be himself. He's also a drummer, loves metal music, and can always be found in a melancholy state while watching all things DC sports.

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