Review by Angel Castaneda, from TheComicLounge.com
PROJECT ICARUS #1
Writer: Andy Owens
Artist/Cover: Patrick Blaine
Inker: Andy Owens
Colorists: Teo Gonzalez, Claudia Guiliani
Letterer: Dezi Sienty
Publisher: Blackbox Comics
Rating: 9/10
The Beat
The story starts in a highrise in Manhattan. A man in power envelopes the room with his broad shoulders, and asks his assistant, Mister Ketchum, if the last dose of serum and chip is ready to be released for the last “asset”. They call this man and murderer, “The Slasher”.
Elsewhere in Jerry’s bar, our protagonist, ex-cop now-guard, Max, guzzles his pre-work drink before saving the new bartender, Tiffany, from a dozen drunken boys. He’s definitely turning up his night at work with… you guessed it, The Slasher!
There’s Always a Balance in Blackbox Comics
Catching up on Blackbox’s archive has been one hell of a ride. The moment I picked up Psycho List, which had a truly nostalgic indie feel down to their matte paper, I knew I was bound to read the rest. Each title in their inventory is an absolute enigma, yet not just the way dark stories are thrown at you recklessly, there’s still a light on the other side of the tunnel.
The characters at Blackbox are honorable, an absolute superhero homage where they can’t say, speak, or do no evil. They are off the rocker in their own ways yet still make things happen, especially in realistic settings we can’t usually step our feet on, which makes these stories original. When I meant nostalgic, these stories almost feel so ‘90s and original to me, and you would just have to pick the book up to know what I’m talking about! Project Icarus was no different. I mean, did you see that cover from artist/cover artist Patrick Blaine?! It stands out like a cactus in the desert.
What’s really good?
Project Icarus gives us a heartily dense, yet classic, good ol’ fun comic writing from Andy Owens, which almost feels like a two-issue book. The action-packed and various timing sequences in anime-inspired panels mixed with Blaine’s art… uncontemporary. NUTS. Sienty’s discreet lettering with even the smallest italicization enhances emotions on the page, while Gonzalez and Guiliani’s balanced color wheel will you make you feel the sunset’s dusk. With Owen’s medium-heavy ink, it’s all grits, and I’m not talking about food!
”But yea, my gut agrees with you”
Whether you love indie, superhero comics, or both, there’s something about Project Icarus that gives us the best of both worlds as you’re awakened from heroism. This book, along with its other Blackbox counterparts are again, so nostalgic, that they’re unlike any stories out on your pull right now. And don’t forget the big ol’ monster we’re waiting to see!
