Review - Fallen #1

"Well, you're not paying me enough to leave through the sewers."

How do you deal with a new planet with no governments and corporation rule? Take up work doing corporate espionage of course. That's the case with Jennifer in Fallen #1. The issue is written by Justin Peniston, illustrated by Chris Ehnot and colored by Dave Delanty.

In the future, there are no governments. Humans live on Mars ruled by the corporations that once mined and colonized the planet for its natural resources. In an attempt to maintain control, the Terra Corporation assigned Jennifer, a deadly mechanic, to infiltrate a corporate office and extract vital data that could help swing the public opinions in their favor. The end game is to pin a war on the peaceful A'Kaar in order to achieve a greater goal.

Peniston's story is a little bit espionage and a little bit alien world. The majority of the book is told through some narrative dialogue interspersed throughout Jennifer's mission. She's characterized as very proficient at her job, handling dangerous situations with relative ease and confidence to get out of the situation. The way the story is written does unfold quite interestingly, as by the fifth page the alien aspect hits you and makes you realize you're reading a book not set on Earth. The overarching plot of the Terra Corporation is a little light on the details, leaving plenty of room for the story to unfold in subsequent issues.

Ehnot's illustrations are very well fleshed out and leans towards the darker side of things. If there's one minor complaint about Fallen #1, it's that Ehnot really accentuates Jennifer's body to the point that it's the focus of every page she's featured on. Because of that, there are some weird anatomy looks when she's in the middle of combat. The A'Kaar look sufficiently alien and add a nice twist to the art, presenting huge creatures that are decidedly not human at all in appearance. The landscapes of Mars are illustrated with good attention to detail, showing a world similar to that of The Fifth Element.

Fallen #1 is an interesting first issue. It offers a main character in Jennifer who's exceptional at what she does and is highly sought after for her infiltration skills. The story lies in the obstacles thrown at her during the exfiltration. Why exactly the Terra Corporation wants her to do the job is still left unanswered, although it will likely be further explored in future issues. What will be really interesting is if the creative team spends more time with the relationship between humans and the A'Kaar. There's a lot there that could make for a fascinating story.

Fallen #1 is available via Comixology now.