by Jessica Greenlee
Staff Writer
Unity #1 has strong pacing, an original story, and an outstanding collaboration between author and artist. This first issue features the events just after the Visigoth Aric of Dacia, captured in by the alien Vine in the fifth century has returned to Earth in the present day, armed with a highly-advanced alien armor and ship, leading a hoard of his fellow Visigoths to reclaim their lost land in Romania, never mind the people currently living there. Panicked by his initial success, the Russians plan on dropping a nuclear bomb on him and his people. Opposed to this plan, and to Aric’s invasion, is Harada, leader of an unspecified organization that has been training a group of super-powered people who are not quite ready for war, but are needed anyway. Also in Harada’s employ is Gilad, a long-lived (immortal?) warrior, and Ninjak, an impressively armed and armored mercenary prepared for “saving the world $10 million at a time (though this job, he might have done for free).” One corner of the war is being covered by Renee Rousseaux, a food writer caught in the war zone when the fighting began.
Keeping track of everyone does take work, and that work pays off as Unity hits the ground running and then speeds up. What makes this issue outstanding is the way Kindt and Braithwite between them are able not only to introduce the multitude of characters but give indication of their personalities as well. Between Kindt’s dialogs and Braithwaite’s portrayal of body language, expression, and memory, these people emerge as more than names. It’s easy to care about each of them, even Aric, who may be destroying the world, but who does have an understandable cause. It is a blending of talents that makes Unity a book to watch.