Indie Comix Dispatch: Escape from New York #1

3.55/5.0 StarsRating if the Book Were a Movie: PG-13 / R

Creative Team

Writer: Christopher SebelaArt: Diego BarretoColors: Marissa LouiseLetters: Ed DukeshireCover: Declan Shalvey & Jordan BellaireEditor: Ian BrillPublisher: BOOM Studios

Ratings

Story: 3.9 StarsInterior Artwork: 3.7 StarsCover Artwork: 3.8 StarsDialogue: 3.5 StarsMechanics: 3.2 StarsEditing: 3.2 Stars

About the Book:

Escape from New York #1 takes place immediately where the movie ends. Going into the details of what happened as Snake Plissken left New York and began his next adventure.

Reviewer’s Notes:

Escape from New York starring Kurt Russell is a cult classic, it is among the best by John Carpenter. To reboot it, change or otherwise would be sacrilege, and while there was a sequel called Escape from LA, there is a time gap between the two movies, and we never knew what happened to Snake in the meantime. This comic aims to correct that.

Starting off immediately after the events of the first movie, we get to see Snake in all his glory of skill and combat as he escapes the compound that is Manhattan. Having been put back on the wanted list he manages to escape and make it to the newly formed Florida Republic, where we find out that the Florida Republic is at odds with the United States of America, despite their best efforts not to be.

Being that Escape from New York is always on my watch list, my interest was piqued when the comic book came across my list. Reading the story I had the music in my head and the face of Kurt Russell in my thoughts as I read through the book. That said it is not a complete likeness of Kurt Russell but close enough to avoid licensing issues. But good enough to not distract from the character and enjoyment of the book.

It has all the violence of the movie as well as all the 1981 wit. Adding to the nostalgia of the Escape world as a whole, while highlighting the fact that America seems to be in a post apocalyptic state, as well as giving more details about how they got there.

The details of the state of affairs in the United States were always hinted at in the movies, but I do not recall at present if they were ever truly explained, so it’s nice to see at least a little bit of that. As the story background goes, even when it’s a story based on a movie it is always good to see in my opinion, as it makes a great story better.

The cover artwork is well done, using the same styling in the title work as the movie itself, while also showing Snake hurt in some way moving forward to face what’s coming head on. While also showing the post-apocalyptic scenery that the known world has become.

The interior art is shown with the same great detail as the cover, and while as I mentioned before Snake Plissken is not a complete likeness to Kurt Russell, probably for legal reasons, it does not distract. I like how the subtle details of where things start just as the movie ends and where they go in terms of character interaction are visually seen, to keep up the same style as the movie.

Ultimately some may like this book, while others will not, being that it changes the details of the cult classic. But I think that this is a wonderful addition to the Snake Plissken world!

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May the historical documents of the imagination always inspire! Thanks for reading.