Number 13 #1 (Dark Horse Comics): The End Is the Beginning, Review

Written By: Robert Love and David Walker

Drawn By: Robert Love

Inked By: Dana Shukartsi

Colored By: Brennan Wagner

In my review for Number 13 #0, I stated that the issue was a good introduction to the series and that we would be following the next issue to see if it is something we should be reading. Well, here we are; we’ve picked up Number 13 #1 and have formulated our opinion. 

The story takes place 60 years in the future, in a post apocalyptic world in which “fected” are free roaming the Earth trying to survive mutant attacks. There are allegedly no humans left on Earth.  Number 13 follows a boy who suffers from amnesia and is apparently alone in the world. The boy has the number “13“ written on the side of his head in black and an Iron-Man like glowing chest piece and that is pretty much all we know about him.

In Number 13 #1, a rag tag band of fecteds stumble upon the boy with the number 13 lying in a crater in the ground. One of the fecteds scans the boy with a laser and the boy wakes up and attacks. A brief scuffle ensues, but the boy re-assesses the fected’s threat level to negative nine, and puts him down. A man and another boy who looks like Number 13 are shown watching the action on a screen. They say, “System reactivation. Unit thirteen is back online.” We then see this second boy run to a man he calls “father” to tell him the news, they’ve found Thirteen. The excited man gathers his cavalry and they set off to find Thirteen.

Meanwhile, the Casey Jones looking steroid freak is seen with a couple other mutants watching “father” setting off with his group to find Thirteen. He tells the other mutants to follow him, so that they can destroy the threat. See, I told you this brother of Thirteen was up to no good, didn’t I?

Shortly thereafter, the group watches as a couple of other fecteds are attacked by a giant lizard mutant. Thirteen, as he has been named by his rag tag group, assesses the threat level and knocks the mutant out with one super punch to the jaw. The thankful group brings Thirteen back to their leader, Mother Goose, a half sexy woman/half snake hybrid with pointy ears. Mother Goose tells someone (it is unclear who) to examine Thirteen and see if he can be repaired and reprogrammed so that she can use him as a weapon.

Number 13 officially has me intrigued. Robert Love has written and penciled a unique new story and I’m liking it! Our interest has been piqued about what happened to Thirteen and why he seems to be the only one with amnesia. 

Love’s artwork is also unique. It’s cartoony, but not too cartoony. It’s detailed where it matters, but lacks detail where you won’t really notice it. His mutant creations are very cool, as well as the other characters. The father-figure character looks like someone out of the future scenes in Back To The Future and has a cool futuristic one man vehicle he uses.

From the very first page, Brennan Wagner’s colors are gripping. They pop off the page and create an aesthetically pleasing sense of mayhem. Also of note is the very last page, which is a full page depiction of the newly introduced Mother Goose. This page is beautifully colored, with lavenders and purples in her hair, surrounding her bronze skin and emerald eyes. Very well done, Mr. Wagner. 

Overall, Thirteen’s story has my attention. Robert Love’s writing in this issue is good, but his dialogue seems a little forced. His writing receives a 7 out of 10.  His artwork, however, receives an 8.75 out of 10 for its uniqueness and creative character design. Overall, Number 13 #1 receives an 8 out of 10 rating from us here at Den Of Geek.

Writing: 7/10

Artwork: 8.75/10

Overall: 8/10