Weed, guns and axes, we don’t pay our taxes/cause we don’t exist, on any government list/We’re survivalists, in the wilderness/our battle cry, live free or die – Scissorfight
Sheltered is a new Image title that deals with survivalists, those folks who think the end is nigh and decide to live off the government radar. The characters in this first issue are many, to the point that it’s hard to figure out who the main protagonists are. In some cases, that would be a sign of poor writing, but with co-creator/writer Ed Brisson, it’s more to give some indication of the coming chaos. Within this compound are families – fathers, mothers and children – who are gearing up for an impending doom they can’t see coming.
There’s a forward-thinking father with his rebellious daughter, and an outdoorsman leader of the compound who finds the forward-thinking father to be on the wrong side of the compound’s ideals. While a subtle jockeying for position is going down, something much more sinister is brewing. The children have decided the end is closer than any of us realize. Assured that destruction is coming, these children decide to take action. Violent and horrible action.
Brisson’s take on this story is fascinating. He takes the notion of the survivalist and adds a generous sprinkling of Lord of the Flies and Children of the Corn. The tone and direction Brisson takes are wonderful. What could be a snickering, finger-pointing look at this group is instead a chilling tale of how the fear of the end can pollute the very basic ideas of right and wrong. Brisson doesn’t use melodrama to build to the climax of issue #1. The catalyst for the cliffhanger is simple. It’s the twisted mentality of a child raised in this environment, to the point he can see nothing else.
Sheltered also lays out the danger of an enigmatic leader. When one person can convince a group that their survival depends on the group making his or her word law, bad things happen. Brisson taps into several visceral ideas, and manages to make the story about people, not politics. I’m hoping Sheltered remains a human story, because that is what makes issue #1 such a success.
Co-creator/artist Johnnie Christmas nails the pencils. Brisson’s vision is a stark, desolate environment, and Christmas gives him one. From the backgrounds to the character sketches, Sheltered presents itself as though the apocalypse has already happened. Though the world around them still exists, Christmas draws this world as though it is the only thing for miles. That sense of darkness and being cut off gives real credence to Brisson’s plot.
Sheltered is a gut check. Brisson and Christmas have decided to come out swinging. A great read.
(4 Story, 4 Art)
