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Review: No One Left To Fight Volume One

Nemesis

“No One Left To Fight” is one of those rare stories that manages to drop you right into the middle of an unfolding drama and yet, somehow, manages to capture and hold onto you.  Not content to start at the beginning and, when you get to the end, stop; writer Aubrey Sitterson (comic editor on various titles to include “The Irredeemable Ant Man”) has crafted a tale following an aging fighter and the repercussions of a life spent battling the world’s evils.

Volume One of this title collects issues #1-5.  Nominally, the main story arc of this volume is linear in the sense that we are following an aging fighter, Vale, as he treks back to the scene of his most famous victory. However, the book begins with Vale dropping in on friends Krysta and Timor, both former fighters who are now married to each other.  The couple also have two children and “Uncle” Vale’s first stop in his journey is this scene of domestic in-tranquility as we learn that Vale harbors long lingering feelings for Krysta that Timor resents him for.  Starting here and continuing on through various sojourns with people and places from Vale’s past; Vale remembers past events and dreams of what may have been if he had made different choices.  Krysta and Timor agree to accompany Vale as he treks cross country and the emotional tension between the three of them presents a compelling and interesting backdrop to what, on the surface, should be a straightforward tale.  However, Sitterson has also injected a number of other elements into the story which add depth and stakes as you devour each page.  By the end of this volume, issue #5 of the title, Sitterson has given us a better look at the unfolding complexity of Vale the man, introduced a villain that pursues him for some unknown purpose, and ends the story on a cliffhanger that promises much more in the issues to come.

The artwork on this book is simply fantastic.  There is no other word to describe it.  Co-Creator Fico Ossio (Critter, Revolutionaries) delivers line drawings that are dynamic, larger than life and incredibly vibrant and full of life.  Every panel is replete with images and characters that explode off the page and capture the imagination.  One could be forgiven if you imagined that you might fall into the page as the artwork figuratively sucks you in. Ossio’s inking is likewise fantastic; giving his line work an incredible amount of depth while conveying, rather successfully I might add, the heroic proportions and attributes of the various characters in this tale.  I am familiar with some of Ossio’s other work and he has always been a talented artist.  However, I have never seen him deliver images like this and I look forward to seeing what he does in the future.  I can say. unreservedly, that this is the best work I’ve ever seen him do.

Additionally, the color by both Ossio and Raciel Avila is surprising and fantastic.  Normally, in a book like this, I would expect the color to be largely muted with the artist drawing on a darker palette to set the tone for the emotional journey Vale finds himself on.  Showing what I know, Ossio and Avila color this book in a series of loud vibrant colors that are borderline neon at times.  This adds to the life of the book and makes these characters, already compelling in both writing and line-work, live and breathe.  The overall effect, both art and color, is charming and invigorating; drawing you into the story and forcing you to fall in love with these characters and the world they inhabit.

This book was incredibly fun to read and a treat to review.  I can’t recall the last time I enjoyed a book this much.  The story drew me in and left me wanting more; always a plus.  The art was delightful and worth the price of admission on its own.  The color complimented the artwork and left me gasping and surprised at the bold and successful choices made by the art team.  I would recommend this book to anyone who loves comics, it is an absolute gem.

Writing – 5 of 5 Stars
Art – 5 of 5 Stars
Color – 5 of 5 Stars

Overall – 5 of 5 Stars

 

Creators – Aubrey Sitterson, Fico Ossio
Writer – Aubrey Sitterson
Art – Fico Ossio
Color – Fico Ossio, Raciel Avila
Letters – Taylor Esposito
Editor – Brett Israel
Published by Dark Horse Comics

Author Profile

Nemesis
Nemesis is a poet, writer and author of the upcoming novel The Long Game. He is a writer of science fiction and supernatural thrillers. Besides novels and short stories he writes for UK based ASAP Comics developing new stories for Level 8 and OPSEC. Nem is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and tries to bring those experiences into his writing.

He lives and works out of his home in Riverside, California with his wife and three children. When not writing he enjoys reviewing comic books and graphic novels for ComicCrusaders.com and living the Southern California life with his family.
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