Number 13 #0 (Dark Horse Comics): Review

Writer: Robert Love and David Walker

Artist: Robert Love

Colorist: Michelle Davies and Diego Simone

Cover Artist: Robert Love

Number 13 is a new comic book series from Dark Horse Comics.  It is written by David Walker (Dark Horse Presents #6) and drawn by Robert Love (Dark Horse Presents, Fierce). Number 13 takes place in an apocalyptic world created by a mutant virus that turned humans into mutated monsters. The comic book follows a lost boy who is in search of his father and the only thing we know about him is that he has the number “13” on his head and he has lost some or all of his memory.

After walking around the wastelands asking everything if it is his father, the boy finds a mutated three-eyed girl tied up with her leg chopped off. He also finds from an ogre nearby that the girl is responsible for her own fate and the ogre charges after the boy. The boy’s arms turn into two mega turrets and he cuts down the ogre with bullets. The boy saves the girl from bleeding to death and builds her a new leg from scrap metal. She is forever thankful and decides to give the boy the name “13.” 

Soon after, the little girl’s father comes and takes the two away. The father thanks the boy, but then shocks him and ties him up. 13 awakens to the daughter and father arguing; the girl is upset that he is going to kill 13 after rescuing her. The father claims that 13 isn’t what he appears to be and that she is too young to understand why he has to kill the boy. He also claims that 13 is “everything that is wrong in the world.” His daughter pulls a gun on him, shoots at him and the father ends up killing her trying to protect himself. We learn that the father is also a mutant, with eyes all over his head.

We also learn that 13’s brother, who looks like Casey Jones from TMNT on steroids, has been searching for his little brother. However, judging by the older brother’s appearance, I don’t think anything positive could come from it…he looks like bad news!

First, David Walker’s writing for this comic is overall well done. It is the beginning of a good story and I am interested to see what kind of adventures Number 13 gets into along the way in this post apocalyptic world. Number 13 appears to be a uniquely powerful young boy and I can’t help but feel that he is part of something that is very important in the world and doesn’t yet realize it.

Second, Robert Love has drawn a cartoony yet detailed book. One that really jumped out at me was just how ugly the ogre was–this isn’t your average Shrek, here. The way that Love drew 13 with turrets blowing through the ogre was also quite impressive and the colors are well done as well.

Number 13 has attracted my interest. I’m not a follower of many things Dark Horse, but this comic book appears to be a dark view of an apocalyptic and mutant world. We have already seen some creative mutants in this prequel issue and it has been a good introduction to the series for those who were not introduced to Number 13 in Dark Horse Presents.  Number 13 #0, while a mouthful to say, is a good introduction to the series and we will be following the next issue to see if it is something we should be reading.

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Overall Rating: 7/10