Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: Chip Zdarksky, Comics, entertainment, image comics, Kaptara

Sammie Reads: Travel By Foot, Car Or Rocket Ship To Get Kaptara

Published Sat, 25 Apr 2015 15:00:00 -0500

By Sammie Rice

It's no secret that Image comics has been producing some of the best comics out there and it seems like every week there is another new title that comes along just to further prove this point.

This week I had the immense pleasure of reading Kaptara #1 written by the legend Chip Zdarsky and drawn by the immeasurably talented Kagan McLeod. Zdarsky should be a household name at this point since his work on Sex Criminals and Howard the Duck are highly rated fan favorites. He brings a unique style and personality to each character that only he seems to be able to do. In Kaptara, Zdarsky's exceptional writing is fortunate to have an equally outstanding partner, McLeod, who brings the words on the page to life with remarkable artwork.

Let's get right into the story. The first page thrusts us into the middle of the action with a crazy-looking alien fighting two men. Well, one of the men appears to be cowering away more than actually fighting but more on that later. We are introduced to probably my favorite new, lead protagonist and his name is Keith. Maybe "Keith" isn't the most "macho" sounding name in the world but nothing about this character is exactly traditional. But trust me, he is way better and way more interesting than your average science fiction hero.

Keith isn't muscular, but he has "mind muscles" and that's what landed him on this important space mission. Well, that and the fact that his aunt was in charge of who was allowed aboard. Whatever the true reason is, Keith and the rest of space gang are thrust through space to a distant and strange planet. They must fight for their lives against…what exactly? That's the question! All they really need to fight these foreign monsters are cunning fight moves and confidence, but this might be a little difficult for Keith.

Keith doesn't have the best confidence in the world. This is in part due to the fact that he was bullied when he was younger for being gay. But his sexuality isn't his only personality trait which Zdarsky easily conveys. I'm guessing that Keith's intellect was another reason he was bullied but in this first issue we don't get too deep into his past. The only other thing we know about him is that he is not on good terms with his parents and doesn't really care about anyone on Earth. Hopefully as the story unfolds we will get more information about Keith's past, his parents and more of his incredible witty remarks.

This first issue gives us the necessary setup for the main cast of characters and how they relate to each other. At times, the exposition can be a bit clunky, but it's necessary for us to understand what's happening right away. The quippy dialogue more than makes up for it and the pacing is very natural. Get ready to laugh a lot, my friend, because between the odd background characters and the hilarious exchanges between the colorful cast of characters, you'll be wishing you were wearing two pairs of pants! Is that a phrase? I'll just pretend that's a phrase.

The colors are so vibrant on this page that I was immediately drawn into the story. Sometimes science fiction stories like to use dull or washed out colors to fill their story, but not Kaptara. The strong tones and hues of this book capture your attention right away and the phenomenal writing keeps you turning each page wanting more. All in all this comic gets a 10/10 rating from me and I'm eagerly awaiting issue number two! Chip Zdarsky, if you are reading this, please don't kill off Samantha. And Kagan McLeod, if you are reading this, please include more of that weird little creature pictured above. I think it would make the world just a little bit better.

Make sure to travel by foot, car or rocket ship to your local comic book store and grab yourself a copy of Kaptara #1! You won't regret it!

Sammie Reads is a Florida resident who loves to take long strolls through the park in pterodactyl-free zones. She loves the comic book community with 90% of her whole being. The last 10% are reserved for her cute fiancé, fellow Valkyries and delicious nachos. You can find her raving about her favorite things on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram (And now Youtube!): @SammieReads

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