REVIEW: IXth Generation #1

Written by Matt Hawkins
Art by Stjepan Sejic
Published by Image Comics (Top Cow Productions)
Release date: January 7, 2015

Ever since seeing the first preview, I was thoroughly excited about IXth Generation. While Aphrodite IX, who is a central character in this book, was never one of my favorite Top Cow characters, the idea of taking characters and events from current continuity and moving them forward 800 years was really appealing to me, and this issue does not disappoint.

Being a first issue, there is a good bit of background on this futuristic world and its inhabitants, but there is plenty of mystery that I didn“t get bored with the details. We meet the IX“s, cyborg beings created to preserve the human race in the event of an extinction level event which occurs in the 22nd century. Fast forward to the 29th century, and these beings have established themselves as gods on earth, each ruling their own kingdoms, switching bodies at will, and constantly at war with each other. Aphrodite IX, one of the first, has kept out of the struggle for decades, but has had enough with the fighting and decides to unite her brothers and sisters to a peaceful existence. Unfortunately for her, peace is the least of their concerns, and as she heads to the moon to meet with Velocity, a key character in Top Cow“s Cyberforce book, she and her brother, Haphaestus IX, are attached by the Darkness, and unwillingly protect themselves with the powers of the Witchblade and the Bloodsword.

To sum it up, this book is FANTASTIC!

Having been a die hard fan of Cyberforce, Witchblade and the Darkness in my younger years, I was completely blown away by how well series scribe Matt Hawkins has managed to meld all these elements of the Top Cow universe together into a cohesive unit that not only works, but excels where its parts may have failed. Even for a first issue, the story is gripping, and the characters quickly fleshed out and recognizable.

Stjepan Sejic continues to churn out stellar work and this book is no exception. His character designs are interesting and dynamic, and he manages to create a visually interesting environments that will have you staring at each and every panel in awe to the level of detail he pours into the book.

If you“re looking for a well conceived book with elements of science fiction and fantasy, IXth Generation is a series you will want to put at the top of your pull list.

[yasr_overall_rating]

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Martin Ferretti

Martin Ferretti is an avid comic book reader, Hearthstone player, IT professional, father, and all around geek. His fascination with Valiant Comics may be bordering on the insane, but hey, it keeps him happy. Follow him @Valiant_Central on Twitter or his Valiant news and reviews site ValiantCentral.com