Broken Frontier

The epic battle between the Galaxy Alliance and Dr. Zarkon hits New York.

Volton #1 was an unexpected treat to read.  In all honesty, I have not truly thought about Voltron since I was a tiny boy, with the classic TV show keeping my dad and I entertained in the evenings.  Little more than the concept of six lions that could join together to create Voltron stuck with me all these years, making Brandon Thomas’ new volume fresh and new while simultaneously giving the old nostalgic gear a kick.

The age old war between the evil Dr. Zarkon, his legions of doom, and the Galaxy Alliance hits Earth, laying waste to New York as hordes of monsters assault civilians while massive monsters attempt to destroy Voltron.  The majority of Voltron #1 focuses on this battle, while giving a by-the-numbers introduction to the six young heroic pilots of Voltron.  This approach, though seen before, still packs enough fun to keep readers entertained while fully introducing the characters and their personalities.  Pidge the pilot of the green lion, for example, is sure to be a standout character in the large cast, as his wise-cracking jokes brought smiles despite the massive battle in the backdrop. 

Voltron #1 is not limited to merely introducing the gallant pilots; a small back-up begins to introduce and flesh out the evil Dr. Zarkon.  In this segment, however, readers are taken back to 2012, where the antagonist is a famous and respected scientist, and more importantly a concerned family man.  How Thomas works Zarkon’s story into the greater fold of the Voltron universe will surely be an interesting exploration over the course of the series.

Tasked with bringing the massive robotic lions and their giant enemies to life is Ariel Padilla, who makes perfect use of each and every page.  When the story focuses on the human street-level battles, Padilla’s art utilizes small and quick paced frames that keep the action and energy flowing quickly from panel to panel.  When the story breaks wide open into Voltron’s battle, however, Padilla incorporates several double-page spreads that truly convey the epic scope of the battle.  Voltron #1 contains some of the best examples of page construction which facilitates the story’s pacing in recent memory.

Voltron #1 was a pleasant surprise for a reader who has only a sliver of a memory of the giant lions.  Brandon Thomas’ battles of numerous scales keep the energy flowing, while Ariel Padilla’s art captures the energy in each conflict.  The most exciting aspect of not only this issue, but hopefully the following stories, is Dr. Zarkon’s transformation from present day scientist to galaxy conquering monster.  For those who have never heard of the famous Voltron, or for those who can remember watching the TV show many years ago, Voltron #1 will not disappoint.