Afterburn #1 (Red 5 Comics – Chitwood / Ens / Nichols) – A year ago, a massive solar flare destroyed the Earth’s eastern hemisphere with the power of a thousand nuclear bombs. But amid chaos, there’s profit. That’s where Jake comes in, retrieving valuable items from the remains… when he can outwit the competition and the mutated locals. This book is a great combination of Dirk Pitt and Snake Pliskken with just a touch of Mad Max. Jake, the book’s protagonist – a oil rig driller turned treasure hunter, is a one of your down-and-dirty-get-the-job-done with a gun in one hand and cracking jokes type heroes. If Afterburn were a movie, the role would definitely be played by a young version of Bruce Willis. Jake recovers the Mona Lisa while fighting off mutant Frenchmen, other treasure hunters and monster sharks (nope, not making it up). Like any well-written action plot, the story laid out by Scott Chitwood and Paul Ens is fast, fun and hard to put down. They are able to give the reader a backdrop of the events and keep the action coming. This adrenaline filled dark-future plot is helped out by the competent art of Wayne Nichols. I am looking forward to issue #2
Issue Grade: A-
