Section Zero #1 Is A Thrilling Throwback Adventure
by Tony Thornley
Back in 2000, Gorilla Comics made a splash on the comics scene with high profile creators working on creator owned concepts, some for the first time. Unfortunately, the company folded after only a few months due to financial issues. Most of those series eventually saw the light of day, and finally thanks to a crowdfunding campaign and Image Comics, the last of them returns to print in Section Zero #1.
The series was created by 90’s superstar creators Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett with colors by Ben Dimagmaliw, and letters by Richard Starkings.
We meet Section Zero, a covert UN-sanctioned group of paranormal investigators, as they track down a boy-sized bug. After they learn the bug is actually a young man, they recruit him just in time for their next mission deep in the Australian wilds. They may not be the only covert team trying to investigate what’s happening in the Outback though…
Kesel has always had a great grasp of fun in his stories, and here he goes nuts with the classic covert weird heroes trope. It feels like a mixture of Fantastic Four and Men In Black, with heavy doses of Kesel’s Superman run, all through a heavy Jack Kirby inspiration. Each character is fun and interesting, jumping on the page fully formed and full of history to explore in later issues.
Grummett and Kesel’s art is sleek and filled with exciting sci-fi designs. Grummett’s pencil art is great at depicting characters, with their full range of emotion on display. Kesel adds a strong line with his inks, together brining this world to life. Dimagmaliw’s colors are bright and draws the readers in.
In the end, this is a fantastic throwback, mixing classic Kirby-style sci-fi comics, with a modern superhero aesthetic. Anyone who enjoys science fiction adventure should check it out.
Section Zero #1 is available now from Image Comics.