Review - Space Riders: Galaxy of Brutality #1 (@blackmaskstudio)


"What kind of scum would attack a ship full of refugees?"

The vastness of space lends itself to adventure. In the middle of a lot of the stranger adventures is Capitan and his journeys continue in Space Riders: Galaxy of Brutality #1 from Black Mask Studio. The issue is written by Fabian Rangel, Jr., illustrated by Alexis Ziritt and lettered by Ryan Ferrier.

An ancient evil is gathering power throughout the cosmos, and it falls upon the legendary SPACE RIDERS to kick its ass! Having disbanded, the crew of CAPITAN PELIGRO, MONO, and YARA must reunite for what may be their final ride! The cult comic that electrified comic readers in the brain RETURNS to blast your fragile human psyche into oblivion!

There's something beautiful about Rangel's script for Space Riders: Galaxy of Brutality #1 in that it relies on pulling no punches. As the lead character, Capitan is given plenty of bravado to carry his words--words that Rangel isn't shy about getting dirty with. In fact, the entire issue is a seemingly ongoing statement on just not giving a what about anything and everything. Rangel also manages to work in some past between Capitan and Mono, giving them each divergent paths to pursue before a seemingly inevitable reunion. And most of the issue focuses on that relationship between the two of them and Rangel doesn't really focus too much on the larger plot itself.

The illustrations by Ziritt are just as frenetic and psychedelic as the first series. Ziritt taps into something coarse in the illustrations, relying on a very vague drawing style that's reflective of the vague approach to life taken by the characters in the series. Ziritt illustrates the book very loosely, emphasizing artwork primarily through the vibrant colors showcased throughout. The artwork taps into a sense of retro nostalgia that emphasizes the sheer zaniness of the characters and events involved. The story itself is pretty ridiculous in its approach and Ziritt's artwork only pushes it further over the top.

Like its predecessor before it, Space Riders: Galaxy of Brutality #1 maintains an "anything goes" attitude in both its tone and approach. Capitan continues to scour the universe for any and all ill will while dealing with problems of his own at the same time. Rangel's script is pretty lax on the plot details, but there's plenty of bold characterizations. Ziritt's artwork is very loose and free-flowing in a way that imbues the book with a visual manifestation of the book's personality. Space Riders: Galaxy of Brutality #1 is a pretty fun read.

Space Riders: Galaxy of Brutality #1 is available now.

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