Being dropped on a mysterious island where you must battle it out is a plot that has been around for a long time. It feels like it has had a recent resurgence in film, television, video games, and comics. Golden Rage #1 kicks off a new take on that classic idea with a twist. All of the individuals on the island are women. Specifically older women.
Written by Chrissy Williams the comic for the most part takes a familiar beat and path. The opening drops readers right into the middle of battle with unknown characters and one at the center of things who doesn’t know what’s going on. An ally is found and from there we’re taken to a base where talks of “Red Hats” goes around and debate rages about our mystery protagonist.
We don’t know a ton of what’s going on but can figure out this is an island where women battle it out for survival. The women are generally older in age except our new arrival, Jay, who is in her 30s. We find out she has early menopause which shifts our understanding as to who is shipped to the island.
It also changes the narrative in many ways. It focuses on “usefulness” of women as to their ability to have children. That says a lot about the world on the outside and hints at what might be going on. It shifts our reading as useful going from age and ability to function to something else entirely.
The art by Lauren Knight is great. With color by Sofie Dodgson, flats by Shayne Hannah Cui, and lettering by Becca Carey, the comic is full of personality. Each character’s design tells us so much about who they are and what “role” they have in the group. There’s also a lot of detail to the art that tells us about the world. We get to see how these women survive and what their lives are like. It also tells us what they use in their day to day giving us detail of a world lived in.
Golden Rage #1 is a familiar but solid start. The concept might be something we’ve seen, but the detail of the debut feels like a real world and gives us much more than just the battle and survival. This is a group that has been around for some time and there’s history here. Like Jay, we’re welcomed into it and it should be a wild ride.
Story: Chrissy Williams Art: Lauren Knight
Ink: Lauren Knight Color: Sofie Dodgson
Flats: Shayne Hannah Cui Letterer/Design: Becca Carey
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle
Source: Graphic Policy
