Time travel. It’s a type of story that can go great or go horribly wrong. When done right, it can be truly great storytelling. Ivar, Timewalker #1 is a great example of time travel done exceptionally well. In one issue, we are shown the beginning and the end of how this story can go without really knowing which way it’s actually going to go. That’s compelling storytelling worth reading, folks.
WRITTEN BY: Fred Van Lente
ART BY: Clayton Henry
PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: 21 January 2015
Reviewed by: Your Friendly Neighborhood Brady
Twitter: @mrbradysteele
Anytime you see characters have a back-and-forth like this, you know it’s going to a fun story worth paying attention to:
Ivar: “But I’m afraid your life is in danger. There are people after you.”
Neela: “And why…Why would ‘people’ be after me?”
Ivar: “Because you’re about to invent time travel.”
Door: SLAMM.
Ivar Anni-Padda is an immortal who knows how to track time arcs which allow him to travel throughout time. You’ve got explosions, face-melting golden men chasing them through history and space, and excellently paced story and banter. Writer Fred Van Lente really is creating some amazing excitement here and it’s only the first issue!
Artist Clayton Henry really can draw the heck out of anything. I think we’ll literally see him draw everything and then some in this series. We see the Timewalker jumping from present day to the Battle of Trafalgar to 4001 A.D. to space and other dimensions. Brian Reber on colors really helps make it all snap off the pages.
This creative team’s enthusiasm radiates from each panel and word balloon. The hooks are aplenty to be found throughout this first chapter. I was looking forward to the next issue by page five. The last page (no spoilers here) absolutely sealed the deal for me to see what happens next. I dare anyone to read this and not want to know what will happen next. That, dear readers, is the best way to write a comic book. I can’t wait to see happens next and you shouldn’t miss out either.