Peace between the warring nations of Veil and Ryllion is hard to come by, but it has been maintained by an ancient order known as the Rangers of the Divide. The Rangers reside in the borderlands between the two nations, never to leave their post unless a crisis presents itself.

So why has a detachment of Rangers completely disappeared without a word?

A small group of cadets is left wondering how to protect their outpost without the guidance of their instructors. Only their Commander remains, and learning teamwork in the face of low-level threats proves to be difficult. How will their Commander lead them to take on a global threat–especially when he seems to know more about the situation than he’s letting on?

From a 10,000 foot view, Rangers of the Divide promises to be a strong entry in the world of sci-fi/fantasy comics. The world that one-woman-show Megan Huang creates with her writing and art is visually engaging and inviting. The Avatar-esque designs are unique and lure the reader to linger on the pages to take in the atmosphere. The world to which we are introduced sets up believable tension while not overwhelming us with exposition and rules.

The various characters we meet all have distinct personalities and voices, and their designs add a unique element that complement the dragons they ride into battle. Additionally, the drama and the stakes that permeate this first issue move the story at a break-neck pace that require us to keep coming back for more. Why did the other Rangers disappear? How will the cadets work together? What does the Commander really know? All of these questions pique our curiosity that can only be satiated by continuing to invest in subsequent issues.

Getting a little closer to the surface, though, brings up a few faults. The biggest quibble I had with this book was that, while the world-building was kept at a respectable minimum, the cast of characters felt a little bloated. I appreciated our time to get to know the Commander and cadet Elsie, but there was a good amount of supporting cast that we don’t really get much time to know. In the end, I didn’t quite have any characters to latch onto. There were some action sequences where the art was a little unclear, and I’m a little on the fence about the practicality of the tail weapon that the Rangers employ.

Overall, Rangers of the Divide provides a fun, engaging universe that should appeal to fans of stories like Avatar and Attack on Titan. There may be a few bumps on our dragon-fueled ride, but the tension introduced in this first issue makes this worth checking out.