Fugitives. Rebels. Newlyweds. In their journey south from ‘El Norte’, Amalia and Randy have played many roles in order to survive. Now, they must become unlikely leaders in the fight against a new cartel, who uses inhuman tactics to ignite the most monstrous war Mexico—and the world—has ever seen. Everything burns where love and devotion can only be measured in fire and blood.
Gasolina #1
Written by: Sean Mackiewicz
Art by: Niko Walter
Colors by: Mat Lopes
Lettered by: Rus Wooton
Cover by: Niko Walter
Published by: Image Comics
*Warning-Mild Spoilers Contained Below
Writing
Sean Mackiewicz must have gained a lot of storytelling knowledge as an editor because his writing here is tight and economical. He doesn’t waste pages but doesn’t rush through things either. Newly married lovers Amalia and Randy are written very realistically, with genuine respect and emotion for each other shown in the opening pages to perfectly establish not only their individual personalities but the complex nature of their relationship. These are two people who have much love for each other but have also been through a lot. The first scene with the two, alone in the field, shows the tenderness they can share. Another scene expresses the calmness in which they handle a tense and dangerous situation, as they go about trying to help a man with some very curious and troubling wounds. And finally, when a boy needs rescuing from some dangerous kidnappers, you can see how deadly these two can be themselves.
The dialogue is also sparse mostly, keeping the word balloon count mercifully low (some comics these days are way too wordy!) but it’s realistic and doesn’t fall into either cliche or exposition.
But don’t think this is just another regular cartel crime story, as something VERY strange is going on. And the way Mackiewicz handles it is pretty great. There are subtle hints dropped early on about bugs and fire and (SPOILER ALERT!) a huge “Cronenbergian” bug rips out of a young boys body to let you know you have entered the world of full blown horror. But none of this seems out of place; the flow is natural and feels like it’s part of this world we are reading. The characters obviously know more about what is going on than we do but we are given just enough to understand something is going on and that we want to know more.
Art
Niko Walter (who is also credited as co-creator) draws some very clean and smooth art that moves the story along at an even pace. The thick white panel borders frame everything neatly, making it easy on the eyes. The layouts are also very symmetrical and sharp, which compliments the art. It’s all very crisp.
His facial expressions are also great, creating subtle ‘acting’ in the characters. He captures small details and moments very well, creating an intimacy that draws you in.
The coloring by Mat Lopes is fantastic, with some awesome shadow and light interplay that creates a strong mood and atmosphere. It’s also bright and vibrant when needed, so when the heavy shadows fall you really feel the weight of that darkness and horror.
Good lettering is also a factor, as the word balloons are small, well placed and filled with an easy font that reads well.
Conclusion
In his debut as a writer, Sean Mackiewicz (SVP and Editor-in-Chief at Skybound Entertainment, an imprint of Image Comics) has teamed up with artist Niko Walter to create one very unique crime drama. Gasolina offers up a violent, gritty, and tense story that is driven by an intriguing high-concept, a pair of main characters that immediately draw you in and some very well paced, clean and vibrant art.
