Damaged #1

Created by: Michael Schwarz & Jonathan Schwarz
Executive Producer: Sam Worthington
Written by: David Lapham
Pencils by: Leonardo Manco
Colors by: Kinsun Loh, Jerry Choo & Sansan Saw
Lettering by: Todd Klein
Cover art by: Alex Maleev & Leonardo Manco
Released: August 3, 2011

I’m a little tardy to the party picking up this series, and holy crap I’ve been missing out. But with the fifth issue of the series on the cusp of being released, I’m going to go back to the beginning and reviewing the entire series, as I await the February 1^st release of issue #5.

Damaged #1 is a kick in the crouch. The story delivers blow after blow, and doesn't show signs of slowing. It opens up in the most dramatic way possible. The bodies of two girls have been found, and the guilty parties, and those guilty by association are promptly dispatched, and it’s all burn baby burn.

Wow, and the joyride isn’t over yet. Oh no, our “hero” Henry is just getting started I’m sure.

Meanwhile in San Francisco, Jack is getting a promotion and good cop, Frank, is being put out to pasture.  Fire and mayhem has been rocking the city, and the big brass aren’t happy. Hmmm, sounds like someone’s MO. Bad guys or not, vigilante justice isn’t allowed here, so I guess installing a bat signal is out of the question.  And Frank isn’t without his secrets, which as a new fire breaks out, just may uncover one of them when he comes face to face with Jack. For one his brother Henry is at the heart of all this trouble, and with his reemergance

Leonardo Manco does the phenomenal artwork in this piece. It’s extremely graphic and gritty, more movie than comic book really.  The twists in this tale are so phenomenal I was at an utter loss as I realized I was all out of pages. Radical has again hit the mark of combining vivid storytelling with amazing art. Check back tomorrow for the review of Damaged #2