A comiXologist recommends…
WARLORDS OF APPALACHIA #1
Written by Phillip K. Johnson
Art by Jonas Scharf
I have had to wait weeks to say anything about Warlords of Appalachia #1. It came in a while ago and the description alone had me hooked- a second Civil War, Kentucky is the last holdout as it fights against the United States, and the coming of a character described as a “feudal warlord”. How does this not sound awesome?
Immediately, I recalled reading Vertigo’s DMZ and being intrigued about a premise where the United States is torn in two between two ideologically opposed factions. The idea of the Free States of America fighting against a corrupt system spoke to me; placing the story in a demilitarized Manhattan provided an even more interesting background to this larger conflict. Warlords of Appalachia is able to achieve the same with, of all places, Kentucky.
Of course, the backstory in Warlords is a little more complex. This first issue introduces the players, the factions and the key points of the story. This story revolves around nationwide religious turmoil, a “zombie-creating” drug, and the U.S. military acting as an occupying force. It was unclear how all of these elements seem to coexist, or even why they coexist. It also has the roots of a “freedom-fighter” story. The main character, Kade, is a family-man whose family is ripped away from him, thus sparking a journey of revenge and justice. Even with these small parts of an overall story- I want to know why they exist together and more about it all.
Warlords is already a complex story with an intricate strata of players, intentions, relationships and motivations. It is a story where bigger, more current, questions will likely be addressed through metaphor and allegory. With that being said, I will continue to issue two because I really want to know why Kade’s son is blue.
Dane Cypel is not from Kentucky, he’s from New Jersey… and there is NOTHING wrong with that!