Savage Squad 6 #1: Chernobyl Nights

Ever since the JSA graced comic book printers in the 1940s, there has been a certain kind of novelty to ensemble stories in Western comic books. It appears that, regardless of the quality, readers will find something to adore with the conventions and concepts that go into stories such as these. Savage Squad 6 #1 is the latest in this medium to tackle an ensemble cast, and is admittedly a pretty mixed elevation of the premise. Its world, monster, and tone are all on point, its structure flowing at a solid pace, and characters introduced well enough to convey all the information needed to captivate readers. Perhaps the biggest offense that this new debut commits is that, apart from some very specific creative decisions, the book lacks a sense of identity or flair, leading to a well-crafted but relatively dull introduction to a story with a lot of potential.

Set in the year 2037, the world has fallen on hard times. In the aftermath of the New World War, a violent and voracious army named ‘The Scourge’ plagues the small pockets of humanity remaining. Hailing from the Central Colonies, a novice named Nat joins up with a group of skilled operatives to retrieve a special weapon from the remnants of Chernobyl in order to repel the Scourge. However, as they settle into their first night on the road, they become prey to the creatures dwelling within the irradiated wasteland that is Chernobyl.

Starting with the positives, Venditti is a structurally sound writer. He manages to incorporate a lot of natural world and character development into the story at a dialogue level. There’s a lot about this world that’s significant to the overall plot of this tale, and it could very easily burden this issue. Thankfully it doesn’t, but the book’s extended opening with unrelated characters to our main protagonists is the epitome of unnecessary and excessive decompression. Apart from that portion, the book is an overall smooth read that introduces a multitude of characters quite well, all of whom have the potential for small yet gratifying character arcs with distinct and likable personalities.

However, all those things aren’t radiating any sort of originality or personal style. All the girls, particularly Nat, are simple archetypes this subgenre has seen countless times without any sort of twist on them. The book is still in its infancy, so that could certainly change. The same goes for the plot. If the book continues to move forward with such a clichéd plot, it will be quickly discarded and forgotten, but this is just an opening salvo. Although it should’ve been a little stronger and more distinctive at the start, it might be the best thing for the book.

The art, unfortunately, must be approached without the benefit of the doubt. The colors are strong but occasionally lack depth, as does the framing and some of the visual storytelling concepts employed. There are also some fantastic designs, but the style lacks personality and consistency. There are moments where its rougher style works well, and other times it’s simply unattractive. The lack of consistency completely shatters the immersion in this book, reminding you that you’re reading a comic book, and a particularly ‘fine’ comic at that.