Review - Avengelyne #1

What happens when you combine a hot chick, a bit of gore, a fallen angel and stopping evil as it walks the earth into a comic? You find yourself reading Avengelyne #1, a new ongoing series from Image Comics. Written by Rob Liefeld and Mark Poulton and with art by Owen Gieni (colors by Dexter Weeks), Avengelyne #1 revives a classic character and starts a brand new, three-part storyline in "The Devil in the Flesh."

These guys know how to start an issue off with right as the reader gets a glimpse of the evil incarnate that Avengelyne is sent to stop, a demon by the name of Torment. The scope and reach of Torment’s plan is unknown, but when a statement of “we not only kill their body, but kill their soul” is made you know bad things are coming for the unfortunate people to cross this guy’s path.

On the side of good that's out to stop Torment’s plan is a fallen angel who inhabits the body of Heaven Starr, a former porn star in New York City. Set wandering the streets and trying to make her way to her apartment she comes across some bums that turn out to be possessed and looking to rid the world of this fallen one. Even though she doesn’t know who she is, something must have remained as she whoops some ass like only a warrior of the Warhost could.

Eventually, Heaven remembers her true role as Aengelyne. Cast down by Father Peter she still doesn’t know why she was put into this new body. What could have happened to her old body? Who was that woman in Hell that kickstarted her memories? And what is the new church that Avengelyne must seek out? This story has many a layer of intrigue surrounding it and the first issue asks a lot of interesting questions. It shows the signs of a good comic, especially one that ends with a dude getting half his face blown off by a power not of this earth.

Really good first issue that sets the bar for the ones to come (from here I see them only getting bloodier and more intense). The artwork is top notch as Avengelyne/Heaven appeared a lot more vibrant than the backgrounds and environments they find themselves in. It helps focus the reader on what’s important and makes the characters more dynamic so they don’t get lost in the overall scene.

Avengelyne #1 has a nice throwback, 90s comic feel, when Liefeld and co. were pretty much running things when it comes to comics. If the initial three-part storyline is any indication it's shaping up to be a good series. It should be in stores now, so check it out.