Napalm Lullaby #1: Mind Games and Motorcycles

When it comes to a premiere issue, there is a tall order—especially for newly established series. Unlike Marvel and DC Comics, the lack of legacy characters means having to introduce worlds and making the reader care. In the case of Napalm Lullaby, this first issue struggles with finding its footing. Granted, subsequent issues may still be worth considering, but the next issue would have to knock it out of the park.

The issue begins with a couple finding a super powered baby that crash lands in Alaska—similar to Superman. The story quickly progresses fifty years in the future to an unlikable character named Hork returning from a violent heist and meeting the two main characters of the series. It’s a jarring transition in pacing that makes the beginning forgettable by the last page.

Writer Rick Remender puts together a decent story, but there is not enough given to make the readers care for the characters or their quest to take on a “god,” which makes for an underwhelming read. While the script could’ve been better, the art is still solid.

There’s some unique character designs, and there are several shots of a futuristic city with a lot of detail to help showcase a bleak future. The character designs are really cool and the colors elevate the sci-fi feel at several moments that require a nice glow. The art and colors from Bengal do a lot of the heavy lifting which balances the plot—especially a scene with a villain armed with mechanical arms tearing through a slum.

Napalm Lullaby #1 does a decent enough job at world building, but ultimately doesn’t provide enough of a hook to lure in readers.