A wholesome defender of truth and justice is thrust into a dark and sinister world. A violent vigilante steps into a bright and idealistic world of good. How will they react when everything they know is turned upside down? We’ll find out I Wrong Earth #1, the debut title from new comic publisher Ahoy Comics!

WRONG EARTH #1 REVIEW

Writers: Tom Peyer, Paul Constant, Grant Morrison, Hart Seely
Artist: Jamal Igle & Juan Castro, Frank Cammuso, Shannon Wheeler
Lettering: Rob Steen
Covers: Jamal Igle
Publisher: Ahoy Comics
Release Date: September 12, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

Previously in Wrong Earth:  Dragonflyman is a defender of all that is righteous and good, never stooping to the level of the bad guys. Dragonfly is a dark avenger who stops at nothing in the pursuit of justice. Like two opposite points, they inhabit their own worlds, playing by their own rules. But what happens when those worlds swap?

OUT OF THE FRYING PAN, INTO THE ICEBOX

Welcome to the Fortune City of Alpha-Earth! Dragonflyman and his trusty kid sidekick, Stinger, are trapped! Tied down to a giant number, Dragonflyman’s arch nemesis, the garishly garbed Number One, has directed a ricocheting heat beam to bounce from a series of carefully placed mirrors, turning the loyal law enforcers’ prison into a veritable oven. Outside of this parching prison, Number One harangues his enemy via a heatproof speaker, even as he his sequential scofflaws attempt to clear the city museum of all of its priceless art! Only through a carefully executed plan do the pair of proud purveyors of pure justice escape, ready to rain down their fists of fury upon the cretinously criminal crew. As Dragonflyman and Stinger clean up the last of the numerical ninnies which constitute Number One’s gang, the ringleader leaps through a nearby mirror!

Welcome to the Fortune City of Omega-Earth! Along forgotten, rain-swept streets, Dragonfly faces off against a gang of musclebound sadist, all eager to pound the dark vigilante into little more than a smear on the broken concrete that constitutes their battleground.  Taking blows, he should never have let through, Dragonfly produces a small gadget from a gauntlet pouch and unleashes liquid fire upon his foes. Moments later, he discovers his disfigured and scarred foe, Number One, taking a blood transfusion from an unwilling victim, a young man on the verge of death. But the donors life matters not, it’s all about the survival of Number One. Quickly capturing his foe, Dragonfly finds himself ambushed by yet another henchman, and Number One escapes through a full-length mirror!

What happens when the two heroes find themselves on Earths that are their identical opposites, faced with situations and people unlike any they had encountered till now?

Also in this inaugural issue, we get a classic, Golden Age style story of Stinger in a solo adventure as he faces off against The Crone. But be sure to stick around to peruse a prose adventure of crackerjack pilot “Hud” Hornet as he flies high above the Grandfather of Volcanoes, or does he?

PURPLE PROSE AND LETHAL LINES!

Wrong Earth #1 is the first comic from Hart Seely (The JuJu Rules, The Bard of the Deal) and his new publishing house, Ahoy Comics. The sheer amount of entertainment in this initial issue is enough to fill two standard issues from established publishers, so the reasonable $3.99 cover price is a pleasant surprise. You get a full-length story, a short backup story, a three-page prose piece, a one-page “gag” cartoon, and interviews from a few of the issues creators.

In the full-length tale, The Wrong Earth, writer Tom Peyer (Legion of Super-Heroes, Hourman), introduces us to the Fortune Cities of Alpha Earth and Omega Earth. These two Earths are on opposite side of the spectrum, with Alpha being a wholesome place found in the early comics and dynamic television shows, and Omega is a corrupt place where dark nights hide evil deeds. There is a definite tone shift when you go from one world to the other, and it is not only visually but in the writing. Heavy in descriptors, adjectives and explanation, Alpha is a far cry from the terse, abrupt and mature dialogue of Omega. This is a refreshing take on an old concept. It’s been done, multiple times, but the direction and presentation we receive here is fresh.

This carries over into the artist for Wrong Earth, Jamal Igle (Firestorm, Molly Danger). Igle ‘s art has, in the one sequence, a detailed and whimsical feel, and in the other, a dark and deadly look. He shifts the tonal properties for each, giving you distinct looks that complete the feeling of change as you read. I’ve been a fan of Igles for years and was a big supporter of his work on Firestorm, so it is always a pleasure to see his highly professional look when it is published. That art is complemented even more by colorist Andy Troy (Spawn, Iron Fist).  Troy’s use of a bright pallet in one instance, and a muted one in the next, add to the separate world experience.

Two worlds? I wonder. I think I spotted a possible hint of a third early on. I may need to reflect on that.

The backup story by writer Paul Constant and artist Frank Cammuso (Knights of the Lunch Table, The Dodgeball Chronicles) presents a fun story which could be called a throwback to the golden age. In it, Dragonflyman’s sidekick, Stinger, goes to a local fair in Fortune City and meets the Crone. The complete tale, from tone to writing to art, fits the perfect bill as to what the old Golden Age of comics contained.

And finally, Grant Morrison (Batman, Animal Man), pens a three-page prose story which introduces the fighter pilot “Hud” Hornet as he traverses his own mind as he himself slips through time, but is it only in his mind. It’s a fun tale, and reads as classic Grant Morrison.

BOTTOM LINE: A HOME-RUN OF A PREMIER ISSUE

New publishers sprout up pretty quickly in the comic world. However, few of them have pedigrees like this one. A mix of veteran comic creators, prose writers, and traditional news reporters and columnist, Ahoy Comics has an impressive slate of titles coming up, and if this issue is a picture of things yet to come, then it will be an interesting ride. I can certainly recommend it to my fellow readers.

Wrong Earth #1 contains a massive amount of entertainment for your money and the promise of more to come. Do yourself a favor and set sail for your local comic shop and have them shanghai you an issue.

[taq_review]

---

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.