Generation Zero 1 NM Henry 40-Copy Incentive Variant Cvr Valiant Fred Van Lente

Description

Generation Zero #1G
Published Aug 2016 by Valiant
Limited 1 for 40 Retailer Incentive Variant Cover
Writer Fred Van Lente
Art Francis Portela
Cover Clayton Henry
32 pages, FC

Exploding out of the pages of HARBINGER WARS comes A SERIES starring GENERATION ZERO!

If you have a problem… If your parents won’t help… And if your cause is worthy… Log onto network #ZERO… because Generation Zero is listening.

Years ago, the children of the experimental strike team known as Generation Zero were taken from their families by Project Rising Spirit, a private weapons contractor, and raised to be psychic soldiers. After years of taking orders, they have fought for and won their freedom.

Now, the world’s most wanted teenagers have pledged to protect each other tooth and claw, while using their extraordinary abilities to right wrongs for a generation without a future… To fight for kids, just like them.

One of those kids is Keisha Sherman, whose boyfriend just turned up dead after a suspicious car crash in Rook, Michigan – a newly booming tech town that sprang from rags to super-riches seemingly overnight. When Keisha makes a desperate plea into her webcam, the local high school suddenly finds itself with several unusual new students… But as word of Generation Zero’s presence spreads rapidly through the halls, this volatile band of teenage upstarts is about to discover that they’re far from the most extraordinary thing lurking behind Rook’s stainless-steel facade..

It would be great to finally see what was up with the wayward psiot kids from Project Rising Spirit. Especially since they’ve decided to stay heroes but on their own terms this time around.

It’s those terms that set the stage for a different type introduction as a huge portion of the issue isn’t about our heroes. But focusing more about the person who needs their help, Keisha Sherman. Van Lente devotes much of the issue to her as he does some excellent world building and expands the mystique around Generation Zero. Making them seem more like an urban legend in the opening as we find out that the team picks who they want to help after filtering through requests from teenagers everywhere. Van Lente gives us a montage of various kids pleading their cases over social media to the group but it’s Keisha’s that is chosen. Her boyfriend felt there was something wrong with their perfect little town and is now dead. The timing and circumstances around the death are suspect and Keisha isn’t buying into what she’s being told. Throughout the issue Van Lente keeps you engaged in Keisha’s predicament and when we finally do meet up with Generation Zero it’s an even bigger moment.

If you were impressed with Portela’s work on the Faith mini series then get ready to see some more of that here! With that artwork paired with Dalhouse’s colors there’s just page after page of sweet visual storytelling here. There’s as much detail and precision in the background and settings as there are in the characters themselves. Every emotional beat is hit which really helped to sell much of the drama in this issue. When the action does happen the art team keeps it fast, huge, and mysterious! That last page was stressful but definitely in a good way.

For a first issue, Generation Zero just does it right! The creative team makes sure it’s an easy jumping on point and gives you only what’s necessary for this part of the team’s journey.

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Bagged and boarded, near mint condition. 1st printing. More pictures may be in description.