by Kurtis J. Weibe, Riley Rossmo and Owen Gieni

debristpbcvrA four-part mini-series from Image Comics, Debris is a story set in the far future. The term post-apocalyptic seems to offer up a connotation that doesn’t fit with the atmosphere or tone of the series. It’s not a dreary or dark book and Kurtis J. Weibe and Riley Rossmo deserve a ton of credit for coming up with a creative way to tackle their subject matter. Instead, Debris feels a little bit more humourous, colourful, and hopeful than you might expect. This comic has a lot to offer those interested in tales of the far future, unique art, awesome garbage monster possessed by spirits, and those looking for a short, yet powerful read.

Maya is the last Protector. Armed with a massive sniper rifle and combat skills that make Jet Li look like a bum, she is on a quest to find a hidden land that possesses something extremely rare in her world: water. The short four-issue length of the series hurts the story a bit as it doesn’t feel quite as epic as it could have over a longer story, and the ending seems to come fairly abruptly. You’re chugging along and loving it one minute, and then realize it’s all over the next. However, that is as much a compliment as a criticism as I would have gladly read a story twice this length because Rossmo and Weibe do such a great job of creating a compelling character in Maya and a breathtaking world. With strong characterization and a story that will leave you wanting more, Debris is a great piece of writing from Weibe, who, I believe, is one of the blossoming stars of the industry (if you don’t believe me, check out his other Image series Peter Panzerfaust, you can thank me later).

Riley Rossmo has a very unique art style and there may be some that don’t care for his grandiose sense of scale and his sweeping landscapes with angular monsters, but it is perfectly suited to this comic book. Every time there is a gargantuan beast on the page you will find yourself in awe of its detailed design and fully realized construction. Rossmo’s characters are warm and vibrant and draw you in as well. Rossmo didn’t hold back on this mini-series and it shows, it’s his best work to date. One of the coolest things about the visuals is how they change in style or colour depending on when in time they are taking place, a neat little thing that was done to help the reader realize what/when they are reading about. Owen Gieni adds a vibrant colour palette to the comic, which compliment and enhance Rossmo’s pencils. Any errors this artistic team made are minor enough to be ignored.

Debris is a fully realized mini-series that will grip you from the first page and not let go until the final one is turned. Though the ending sneaks up on you, the series could have used one or two extra issues in my opinion, this is a fantastic mini-series. I highly recommend this trade paperback collection to those who like what Image Comics brings to the table. This will definitely break up the steady stream of Marvel and DC being pumped out these days.

Writing: 8/10
Art: 9/10
Overall: 9/10

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Cody Mudge

Cody Mudge

Reviewer at ReadComicBooks
Cody lives just outside Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. His first love is writing, and his second is reading. Comics have been an interest of Cody’s for the last four years however he didn’t start collecting and heavily following his favourite characters until the start of 2012. When not reading comics or writing, he can be found playing guitar or Xbox 360 or hanging out with the Arwen to his Aragorn. In 2011 he wrote his first novel, Darker than Shadow, which will be published by iUniverse. His favourite DC character is Batman, and his favourite Marvel character is Wolverine. If he were a superhero he would be Spider-Man because of his dashing wit and charm, the dripping sarcasm he applies at times and his ability to learn lessons the hard way.
Cody Mudge

@codymudge

@ReadComicBooks I don't know. Seems an odd thing to say, but you don't have to like something to understand it. - 13 hours ago
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