The Rider awakens to find himself captured by a group of survivors hiding in the wastelands. The group’s leader, Carvell, carefully listens to the Rider and determines he is not a threat to their safety. In fact, the Rider’s mission to hunt down Father is something the group is willing to aid and ask the Rider to join them. Meanwhile, the mysterious and powerful Father waits in his throne room to hear back from his forces sent to kill the Rider. Upon receiving the news of their defeat, Father decides to make an example out of the Rider for those who wish to defy him.
Issue two sheds some light on the goals of Father and his vision for molding the world in his image. Father, a blend of a mad scientist and religious cult leader wants to the world to undergo a great massacre and wants to rebuild civilization out of the ashes. How this will be accomplished is connected a to the Death Orb, which looks to be a spacecraft that orbits the Earth. Father’s plan is to crash the orb into the Earth, causing destruction, but leaving it ripe to be rebuilt, if there is anything left after. Father is also something who is willing to get his hands dirty if needed. He is not just some man hiding behind his army. Capable of handing his own in a fight, Father looks to be a formidable brawler and might be more than the Rider can handle alone.
The Rider has been kicking butt solo in the first issue and has now found potential allies. His lone wolf tactics are brutal and efficient, but he can only do so much as one man. Staying with his cold demeanor, he does not fully join Carvell’s group. Fighting alongside Carvell and his group, the Rider helps them only to help himself get closer to find Father. Aleeya, Carvell’s foul mouth, and main muscle clashes with the Rider for being the gruff and moody personality. In a hilarious effort to build up her toughness, Aleeya spews out some graphic threats before a fight. Carvell, Aleeya and the Rider fight off a group of the Father’s mercenaries in a furious fight with guns, an ax, and a giant mech suit.
Ryan Ferrie, Alejandro Aragon, and Chris O’Halloran check off everything needed to build a familiar post-apocalyptic world. Shattered communities, tough survivors, cults, a technology that appears to be retro and futuristic. While characters aren’t that complex at the moment, the action is tight and the characters are a bit diverse. From the cybernetic henchmen, satanic cult members and punk-inspired clothing, the character designs are eye catchy. Father won’t let anyone get in his way for his plans for the Earth, and he is throwing any deadly mercenary he controls at the Rider. Don’t miss out on this sci-fi action comic coming this month.
