REVIEW: 'Rumpus Room' #1 by Mark Russell, Ramon Rosanas, and Ive Svorcina

 

RUMPUS ROOM #1

Writer: Mark Russell

Artist: Ramon Rosanas,  Ive Svorcina

Letterer: Andworld Design

Publisher: AWA

Release Date: September 20, 2023

Cover Price: $3.99

Eisner Award-winning writer Mark Russell (NOT ALL ROBOTS) returns to AWA with his latest dark satire, with art by Ramon Rosanas (YEAR ZERO VOL. 1).

Meet Bob Schrunk, technocrat billionaire, collector of bad art, and victim of a hideous skin condition that can only be treated with a highly illicit and definitely not FDA-approved face cream that must be...harvested. From human beings.

Bob isn't unfair, though. He's happy to let his guests select who will be next to be sent from the Rumpus Room to their doom.

There's just one thing Bob doesn't know: One of his current guests is an undercover cop-and she's carrying a concealed gun.

Score:

★★★★☆ (4/5)

QUICK REVIEW:  'Rumpus Room' #1 by Mark Russell, Ramon Rosanas, and Ive Svorcina is an intriguing first issue with a lot of potential. This might be one of Russell's darkest satires featuring the not-too-unlikely narcissist tech billionaire whose vanity matters more than human lives. The solicitation pretty much lays out the premise of the first issue as well as the series but the stakes are made clear so plenty of mystery remains. The cartoon villainy of real-life billionaires has made the job of satirists like Russell harder because what was once considered exaggerated caricatures of the wealthy are on full display in social media. Satirists have to go to greater extremes and well, kidnapping and murdering people to produce a special face cream to keep a youthful appearance might be the new bar. Ramon Rosanas and Ive Svorcina create two very different landscapes, the bright and colorful world of wealth and prosperity and the dark underground one where death awaits. The contrast is superbly illustrated. 'Rumpus Room' is already a must-buy with Mark Russell's name attached but the deliciously evil satire is supported by some great art as well.