Highlander #0

Written by Brandon Jerwa & Michael Avon Oeming

Pencils by Lee Moder

Cover by Gabrielle Dell’Otto

 

I must confess that I’m not really much of a Highlander fan, so I can’t say I’m totally objective going into this review. And I certainly don’t understand the history that well behind the character, Conner MacLeod. I get the idea though—a group of immortals have been living amongst us throughout our history. They’re all waiting for some magic ‘Gathering’ (no, not that Magic: The Gathering) when they’ll whip out their swords and fight to the death. Why exactly that has been the concept for an ongoing film franchise is really beyond me.

 

A bunch of undying swordsmen are simply waiting to have a big tournament to see who’s the last immortal left? God, why don’t they just call it a draw and move on.

 

The comic tells me that it takes place just after the first movie, which I haven’t seen in years, so I really don’t know what the hell is going on. And it should be noted that starting a series upon the premise that the reader has to see a movie before being able to read your comic is a bit daft. But I guess it is ok since diehard Highlander fans are the only niche audience Dynamite is aiming for.

 

This comic book was given to me for free, along with the alternate cover (also for free), by one of my local comic shops. Evidently the 25 cents cover price wasn’t low enough. I wasn’t even going to review it until I saw that Michael Avon Oeming was involved, which really just makes me wonder if this comic is his penance for being allowed free reign with Red Sonja.

 

Anyway, the story goes, as far as I can tell, that a bunch of Russian cultists (not immortals mind you) have decided to start some trouble. It’s implied that they caused the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and that they are ‘very bad’ guys, but all we ever see is a brief flashback of someone yelling out ‘Conner’ and one of the cultists offing himself with a gun to the forehead. Then Conner claims that he’s off to Russia to deal with this ‘horrible’ menace. There isn’t any proper introduction here, and the art, while serviceable, is still pretty bland.

 

If you aren’t a Highlander fanatic then I suggest you skip this series. What is surprising is the short ‘The Lone Ranger’ back-up strip by Brett Mathews & John Cassaday with art by Sergio Cariello, which is pretty good. In four pages, it had me more interested than Highlander did in twelve. So, I think people might wanna go check out Lone Ranger, I know I will.

 

Rating - 2