Check out the heart-wrenching tale of two lovers in a devastating civil war in Commander Rao: And We Love You #1 by Scout Comics!

COMMANDER RAO: AND WE LOVE YOU #1

Writer: Fell Hound
Artist: Fell Hound
Colorist: Fell Hound
Letterer: Lucas Gattoni
Editor: Frankee White
Publisher: Scout Comics
Cover Price: $9.99
Release Date: February 22nd, 2023 

Previously in Commander Rao: With another successful Kickstarter, Fell Hound beings a 64-page graphic novella to the comic book stands. The comic tells the story of war, regret, and the perils of falling in love during a dangerous era.

Commander Rao: And We Love You #1 starts with the death of Julie Rao with a stunning opening action sequence. We then see her memories of joining the resistance army and training. Primarily, Julie meets Kasey and a team of soldiers. Julie proved to be a hero and had several unforgettable moments that made her stand out amongst her peers. She bonds with Kasey over comic books, and they become friends. They trust each other to cope, especially as they experience lost battles and lost friends. During a particular skirmish, Kasey is injured, and Julie dangerously goes through the battlefield to save her. Kasey is discharged, but before she leaves, Julie kisses her. They also plan to meet up after Julie finishes her enlistment.

During her last mission, we return to Julie’s death and see another image of Kasey sitting at the proposed restaurant they were supposed to meet at.

Fell Hound’s artistic ability steals the show. Commander Rao: And We Love You #1 is a simple story and doesn’t have much complexity. But it is taken to the next level through the visual style. Some pages use more monotone cold colors, while other pages are warm and inviting. On top of the graphic brutality of war, the pictures tug on the heartstrings. One scene involves a blood stain where you can see the outline of a figure in blood and another on the ground next to it. With such complex art, Fell Hound uses simple dialogue that doesn’t distract from the story’s main themes. We then fall in love with the main characters throughout 60 pages. Even though we know that Julie is set to die because of the opening pages.

I was on board with this story from the first page, and it has a unison of art and writing that takes exciting risks. My only critique is that we don’t learn much about the setting. I know a little bit from previous comics. Still, it might have distracted from the main characters if there had been a ton of world-building. It is a tricky balance, and I respect the choice regardless.

I think this is an excellent comic book. I appreciate the art of this One-Shot. While a little pricey, I believe you are getting your money’s worth. Commander Rao: And We Love You #1 is a solid 5 out of 5 stars, and I’ll pick up any future work from this creator.

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Commander Rao: And We Love You #1

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Commander Rao: And We Love You #1 mastered the balance between telling a simple story and still tugging at the reader's heartstrings.

• Writing

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• Art

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• Coloring

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