REVIEW: 'Rogue State' #1 by Matteo Pizzolo, Carlos Granda, and Brad Simpson

 

ROGUE STATE #1

Writer: Matteo Pizzolo

Artist: Carlos Granda, Brad Simpson

Letters: Jim Campbell

Publisher: Black Mask Studios

Release Date: November 16, 2022

Cover Price: $4.99

What if a contested Presidential election plunged America into turmoil? What if political violence consumed the streets? And what if a raging Supreme Court, in a strict interpretation of the 2nd Amendment, legitimized and deputized all militias, transforming the entire country into a paramilitary police state?

What if a freedom fighter emerged from the chaos, raised a civilian army, and carved out a territory across the United States?... pushing out police, militias, and National Guard... enforcing its own laws... Sovereign.

What if Americans refused to be governed?

In this speculative fiction comic book series ripped from tomorrow's headlines, a mysterious figure named Vya Of Brightstars will rise from the crisis, but is she a freedom fighter or a terrorist? Either way, her rogue state will not just blaze a path across America, it will also inspire others to raise their own armies... some in solidarity, others in opposition.

"ROGUE STATE... is a genre known as 'speculative fiction.' Except that it doesn't seem as speculative anymore." (-The San Francisco Chronicle)

From writer Matteo Pizzolo (CALEXIT, GODKILLER) and artist Carlos Granda (PIROUETTE, CALEXIT: SAN DIEGO), comes this tale of rebelling against tyranny, reconquering stolen land, punching fascists in the face, and building a better nation.

Score:

★★★1/2 (3.5/5)

QUICK REVIEW: A contested Presidential election that leads to chaotic violence and deputized vigilante militias that roam the streets fighting freedom fighters doesn't sound a lot like speculative fiction and more like ripped from the headlines. Yet, this civil war of sorts is a combustible situation at every turn, and Dust Girl is caught right in the middle of the violence. 'Rogue State' #1 creates a dark future that mirrors our own world with catastrophic consequences. The ideas that writer Matteo Pizzolo puts forth are timely and certainly of the 'worst-case-scenario' variety but the battle for readers will be the contradictory tone of the first issue. The description sounds very dire and seems primed for heavily serious intrigue and violence but what we get is a more lighthearted sarcastic tone from its main characters. Dust Girl in particular gets caught scaling a building and has to talk her way out of getting shot by a shotgun-toting resident. Her banter with fellow activists is also very snarky and good-humored in the midst of the complete chaos of tear gas and rubber bullets. The art is tremendous from Carlos Granda and Brad Simpson. They have a cinematic eye that elevates the action and is infused with rich deep colors. 

'Rogue State' has big ideas but its mixed tones undermine the story a bit. Pizzolo tries to find the right balance between fascist violence with rebellious opposition through some compelling characters. It's the flippant attitude and unseriousness of those characters that defy their circumstances and create an imbalance in the storytelling. Yet, with all that said, 'Rogue State' offers a lot of thought-provoking themes and excellent art. You'll want to know how this ends.