On the fictional planet Rixard, a near-depletion of natural resources has led the military to invade a foreign planet, causing violence and an opportunity for a lone hero to shine. Here, the hero Virgil steps up to single-handedly run down the planet’s opposition and save the day, all while laughing in their faces.
Such is the plot of The Singularity #1, the first issue of the series from comic commentator/bloggers Ethan Harmon, and artist Chris Gooding. The story follows the tactics of Rixard’s military unit, the Rognark Elite, as they battle in the name of Singular, the planet’s High Ruler. As a member of the Elite, Virgil is a classic case of smartass ultra-intelligence, in the same vein as hero titans Tony Stark and Spider-Man. Sporting a high-tech suit of armor, he is able to outmaneuver his Haze Empire opponents, and biological talents allow for some supernatural battle techniques. Virgil alone steps forth to handle the bulk of Elite’s action panels, an accomplishment that eventually leads to his being promoted to Captain of his own battle ship. Overall, the comic’s most interesting elements lie in the details: high-concept black and white digital imagery, bionic weaponry, and an ultra-modern urban setting lead to much of its richness, while its use of character comedy and dynamic action move it forward at a quick pace.
Writer Ethan Harmon serves as part of the comic critic circle CEL-Studios, whose partner blog Invincible Nerds reviews comics and hosts comic-related podcasts. The comic is available for free digital download through indyplanet.com, a link for which is available at cel-studios.com.