The Kamen Rider franchise has been around for nearly 50 years. Much like the Power Rangers, there have been different eras of the tokusatsu show, including the iconic Kamen Rider Zero-One. Now, Titan Comics is ready to bring the epic adventures to the world of comics. Helming the first issue are writer Brandon Easton, artist Hendry Prasetya, colorist Bryan Valenza, and letterer Jaime Martinez from AndWorld Design.
Kamen Rider Zero-One #1 doesn’t retell the story of Aruto Hiden — only briefly touching upon his past as a comedian and his rise as Hiden Intelligence’s CEO. Instead, the book introduces him as a hero grappling with whether or not his efforts are making a real difference. As he and his companion Izu go back and forth over the merits of their work, they are attacked by a volcanic villain known as Ragnarok. This new rogue’s motives aren’t made entirely clear; however, he appears to have Aruto’s number here.
Easton has a tough job as a writer. A franchise like Kamen Rider isn’t as familiar to mainstream western audiences as Power Rangers or Super Sentai, so there’s a delicate balancing act to introductory storytelling. Rather than cram the first issue with exposition and a rundown of the franchise’s lengthy history, the writer starts in the middle and leaves a trail of clues for the reader to catch up with the story as it progresses. Easton keeps the narrative simple and easy to follow, never leaning too heavily on the franchise’s lore or alienating new readers.
Prasetya brings an energetic and enthusiastic style to Kamen Rider Zero-One #1 — much like the artist showed with his work on Power Rangers. There’s a lot of action scattered throughout the pages, and Prasetya doesn’t take any shortcuts. The artist puts immense effort into capturing every detail — not only in the designs of the super-powered heroes and villains but also in the scenery. As a result, this becomes an absorbing book where every line and shadow has been carefully considered for the ultimate reading experience.
Valenza is receiving a lot of attention because of the colorist’s work on Marc Silvestri’s upcoming series Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo. However, before the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of crime arrive, Valenza will be earning many more fans with the rich and varied colors of Kamen Rider Zero-One #1. Much like Prasetya’s art, the colors add vibrancy and liveliness to the story, making the art pop and resonate further. Similarly, Martinez has a significant role to play here, as the lettering brings the sound effects and grandiose nature of the battle to life for all to see and feel.
Even if fans are totally unfamiliar with the legendary Japanese franchise, Kamen Rider Zero-One #1 proves to be an excellent jumping-on point for new readers. It never threatens to overwhelm with decades of lore and expectations, as it takes an effective, simple route that makes this first issue a strong start for the series.
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