REVIEW: 'Don't Spit in the Wind' #1 by Stefano Cardoselli and Dan Lee

 

DONT SPIT IN THE WIND #1

Writer: Stefano Cardoselli

Artist: Stefano Cardoselli

Colors & Letters: Dan Lee

Publisher: Mad Cave Studios

Release Date: March 29, 2023

Cover Price: $3.99

One man's trash is another man's living. Since earth became inhospitable, humanity escaped ages ago to live in a space station floating above the atmosphere. Now Travis and his crew of garbage men are tasked with cleaning up mountains of toxic waste, working for a company called Atomic Bros INC., to create a "Clear World." But when one of Travis' crew members goes missing near an old nuclear facility Travis' job becomes a bit more complicated.

Score: 

★★★★1/2 (4.5/5)

Speculative dystopias can be just about anything. They can be vicious wastelands ruled by lawless tribes trying to survive or contemplative eulogies of a world gone to ruin because of hate and distrust. In 'Don't Spit in the Wind' by Stefano Cardoselli and Dan Lee the world as we know it is gone. Decimated by pollution and arrogance, the earth is one giant trash heap while humans orbit the uninhabitable planet in a space station. A specialized crew of garbage workers is left to pick up the mess. It's just another day for Travis and his crew until one of them becomes unresponsive. 

Cardoselli tells a seemingly simple story that follows Travis going to find out why a crew member isn't responding to his radio calls but the issue is anything but commonplace when it comes to the art. Cardoselli's art is captivating in all its intricacies from the smallest details to the imaginative renderings of machinery used to clean up toxic waste. It's a feast for the eyes that adds a sense of wonder and fantastical world-building. Dan Lee enlivens it all with a striking use of bold rich colors adding depth and well-worn texture. The end of the world doesn't have to be boring it can look fascinating and dangerous at the same time. And Cardoselli's deliberate approach to building the tension in the lead-up to the end allows for Travis to introduce other characters and their work environment fleshing out the world around them. 

'Don't Spit in the Wind' is engrossing and captivating as uniquely envisioned by Cardoselli. Reminiscent of 'Wal-E' with the mysterious tension of a Hitchcock thriller, the first issue expertly introduces readers to a funky future world that shames humanity's failings while establishing a dark twist all its own. Nothing looks like 'Don't Spit in the Wind' and the debut issue will have you hooked.