REVIEW: ORCHID VOLUME 1 TPB

Morello vividly creates, not only a character’s life of suffrage, but a world of suffrage in a narrative that is sure to make one rethink they’re views of class war society.

Waters have risen and the chemicals that populate dry land have spilled to our seas and ravaged our world.  The only two thriving factors of the world are the mutagenic super animals that now roam rampantly and the Brazilification that the world has succumbed to.  Morello does an amazing job at setting a steady pace to introduce his world to the reader in a worldwide fashion, and quickly brings the scope seamlessly back to a socio level with its individualized character designs.

“Those aerosol cans sure have raped our ozone layer.”

This is where much credit is due for Scott Hepburn, who takes a very stylized approach to the character design and penciling.  No two characters in the trade paperback bear any resemblance to each other and nearly everyone bears the appearance of an alternative rock band member, especially Simon with his ever so hip looking beard.  It is also very noteworthy to mention that Hepburn can pencil out some mean scorpion bears and mechanical horse action sequences.

“RAWR, Slash slash, sting, bite bite, sting, ingest.”

There are a few bones to pick with a few of elements of the dialogue, which is neither stirring nor noteworthy and none of the characters ever seem fully aware of the problems that are at hand.

For instance, our leading lady Orchid is a prostitute who is ignorant, misguided, and filled with hate. There are several accounts throughout the graphic novel that Simon, a well educated man, has concocted various plans of escape from their captives, saved her life numerous times, and does his best to comfort her in time of need.

“Hello Simon, my name is Orchid, and I’m going to be stepping on your balls for the next 80 pages.”

Orchid possesses too much clouded rage in her mind to listen Simon, who is the only voice of reasoning and the possessor of a powerful ancient rebel artifact that could dramatically change their world.  One would expect a dramatic change within the character, but it falls short in a typical, selfish “avenging” manner after some serious stuff goes down, sadly, not on a socio grandeur level to alleviate the oppressed as expected.

Bottom line: One could argue the excuse that is only the first graphic novel, and, well, that’s exactly what I’ll do.  There are enough interesting characters that are all very different and there are several plot lines in development to make this series worthwhile to read even though there might not always be particularly loaded dialogue or plot devices, but definitely for of the scorpion bears. 4/5

Trade paperback volume numero uno for Orchid releases July 11th for only $17.99.

http://www.darkhorse.com/Books/16-920/Orchid-Volume-1-TPB

When the seas rose, genetic codes were smashed. Human settlements are ringed by a dense wilderness from which ferocious new animal species prey on the helpless. The high ground belongs to the rich and powerful that overlook swampland shantytowns from their fortress-like cities. Iron-fisted rule ensures order and allows the wealthy to harvest the poor as slaves.

Delve into the first chapter of Orchid, the tale of a teenage prostitute who learns that she is more than the role society has imposed upon her.