Story by
Gerald Cooper
Art by
Eddy Barrows
Colors by
Tim Ogul and Oren Kramek
Publisher
Invision Comics
An extremely feared and militaristic nation, proudly recognized as the Grunnod, has stolen freedom, joy and fortune from an entire galaxy. They are in search of an ancient artifact from a long, forgotten time that is believed to unlock a door to immeasurable power. Many scholars and others believed to be immortal have died trying to exhume it. This relic is believed to be hidden deep within the innards of a Grunnodian possessed world. A broken soul seeks revenge for what the cruel Grunnodians have done to his people. He escapes. And when a tortured victim finds power and purpose, the shacklers that face him sing a sad song.
One of the coolest parts about doing this job is that I’m constantly exposed to independent artists out there who are extremely talented. It’s a win/win sitch: I get to read awesome stuff for free and I get to tell all you guys out there how brilliant it is and how your life is less amazing because you’re missing out. The latest is Genecy, a scifi/fantasy hybrid comic by Gerald Cooper. Part Conan the Barbarian part Silver Surfer, Genecy is a story about oppression and power.
Kaizaxx is the sole survivor of a desperate escape attempt from the terrible Grunnoddian overlords. Stranded on a desert world with a mysterious scepter, Kaizaxx discovers the Dome of Raknirod, the resting place of a dead, god-like being. When Kaizaxx places the scepter on the dead god’s altar, he awakens the ancient entity and becomes Genecy, the avatar of Raknirod! Granted with phenomenal power in exchange for aiding in Raknirod’s rebirth, Genecy finds himself with the means to liberate his people from centuries of enslavement.
Cooper’s vision in Genecy is fantastic. He weaves elements of sci-fi and fantasy into a highly original setting and entertaining story. His narration is grand in scale, and fits nicely with the elements of epic high-fantasy of the book. If I had any complaints about the first issue, I’d say that it could have used just a few more pages in the beginning. The writing is there, but I felt a little lost at the start of the book. You’re really thrust right into the thick of things, and it’s a little disorienting. But once you find your bearings things move along nicely. Genecy also has a fantastic art team to kick off his story. Eddy Barrows’ style is timeless and gives the book and is reminiscent of the fantasy comics I used to read when I was a kid. Tim Ogul’s and Oren Kramek’s color pallets are vibrant when depicting the brilliant, fantasy settings and electrifying when illustrating the characters’ awesome, cosmic displays of power.
All in all, Genecy #1 is a good start to a really great idea. My one complaint is I wish the first issue was longer, and that’s as much a compliment to the creative team as it is a criticism. They have a great concept on their hands and they should allow themselves to really stretch their legs and flesh out their story. Really just 2 or 3 extra pages of story would have made all the difference in making this a perfect read.
I give Genecy #1 Four out of Five Stars.
