Image’s Paradiso #1 has some problems with pacing and flow, but a strong concept might get it past all that.
In the first issue, we are introduced to a familiar trope, one that we have seen many times. It’s the future. Paradiso, a walled city, has survived a breakdown in society but has become impenetrable to outsiders. Ah, it’s a rough and tumble city, guarded by eccentric robots. A young man, Jack Kryznan, wants to enter, and has a way to do this: he has uncovered mechanical plans that can be useful, and uses this valuable asset to persuade others to sneak him in. Plus, he has some special, secret skills!
All well and good, but I found the reading of this fairly straightforward tale to be roundabout and circuitous. Start somewhere, have flashbacks, go into the future, then a bit farther in the past, you get the picture. I got restless at various points along the journey and tried not to predict what was about to happen.
The artwork is okay, some pages more interesting and better drawn than others. Still, lots of potential for this story to develop depth, as various bad guys become aware of the mysterious abilities of Jack Kryznan. He’s a much-wanted man! So, perhaps check this one out at your local comic shop, to see if the flavor of the issue pleases you.
Written by Ram V, with art by Devmalya Pramanik, colors by Dearbhla Kelly and Alex Sollazzo.
Image Paradiso #1, $3.99 for 28 pages of content, plus a 4-page preview of another upcoming Image title, Void Trip. Mature readers.
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