Comic Review: VOLTRON #1

Make no mistake, this is definitely targeted at old fans, but if you want to give Voltron a shot, don’t be worried if you’re going in fresh.

Written by BRANDON THOMAS Art by ARIEL PADILLA Covers by ALEX ROSS, SEAN CHEN, and WAGNER REIS Published by Dynamite In Comics Stores Now! Anyone who has ever watched the Voltron cartoon knows how cheesy and formulaic it could be. Without nostalgia to help, most would find it to be juvenile and boring, but among the initiated the name Voltron demands respect. It€™s those who have loving memories of Voltron that this comic is for. The story kicks off in the middle of a battle and moves at a pace that doesn€™t provide much opportunity to get your bearings. I know these characters; I know who they are and I know their personality types. The banter between them helps establish who they are for new readers, but you might be lost if you€™re not an old fan. They don€™t even mention that Voltron is formed from five lions. But, if you are an old fan - even if you€™re the biggest Voltron fan the world has ever seen there€™s still a lot here to be excited about. This is not just a rehashing of the show€™s plot; it€™s a completely new adventure. It takes place in the future, but flashbacks to our time hint at a new and mysterious origin for Voltron and their arch nemesis Zarkon. Here, Voltron is not just a giant mecha, but appears to have a personality upon being formed. Historically, Voltron is nothing more than a very powerful robot that is piloted by a team of five. I have to say this is a good choice, as it avoids certain logistical problems like: How do you pilot an arm or a leg, exactly? and addresses how boring it is to watch people sitting in chairs while a climactic battle occurs. The story also takes place on Earth, which is a departure from the original series, but doesn€™t feel blasphemous or disrespectful. While the art of the book is done quite well, the absence of sound effects makes it difficult to understand exactly what€™s going on at times, particularly during the first portion of the fight. It€™s not impossible and you won€™t be lost, but you may find yourself having to look at the images more closely to see the exact sequence of events. Nothing major, but something that should be pointed out. Make no mistake, this is definitely targeted at old fans, but if you want to give Voltron a shot, don€™t be worried if you€™re going in fresh. This is a promising issue and I look forward to next month.
Contributor

Trevor Gentry-Birnbaum spends most of his time sitting around and thinking about things that don't matter.