Posted by When I was reading Isom #1, the superhero team Alphacore had their first brief appearance. When I heard that Alphacore would be receiving their own comic book, I was reasonably interested. They appeared so briefly in Isom #1 that I was curious to learn more about these heroes. Rippaverse Comics has also only impressed with their previous two releases, so I had no qualms supporting this company yet again. I was still pleasantly surprised with Alphacore #1. The Rippaverse media team had been hyping this release up for a while, and I must say, it definitely delivers.
SPOILERS FOLLOW
Alphacore #1 follows the titular team as they investigate a string of crimes in Florespark, Texas, that are somehow connected. All of this happens because Brian Solaris, one of the members of Alphacore, stopped a man from bombing a bank. Alphacore exists as an extension of the police force, and they deal exclusively with other Excepts–superpowered heroes and villains. The team confronts a variety of trials, including enemy Excepts and even the hijacking of their flying command center, and they almost come out on top. While Alphacore eventually makes the necessary connections to figure out who’s behind everything, they don’t completely succeed and the perpetrators escape, for now at least. I could talk more about the plot, but I think it’s better to read it for yourself.
SPOILERS END
Alphacore #1 is a very strong first issue. It does a good job of introducing the main cast of Alphacore–Bryan Solaris, Braxwell, Ingrid Valdez, and their support staff–in medias res. I really appreciate how these comics don’t get bogged down with backstory, instead introducing the characters and thrusting them into action while revealing information about them when it is natural and relevant. I think that this approach works very well, and it creates compelling stories that are easy to pick up and impossible to put down.
As for the characters themselves, I really like the cast of Alphacore #1. The reader gets a good feeling for the team dynamic and personalities. The villains are also fairly interesting because the main antagonists remain cloaked in mystery throughout the story. We as readers never fully learn their true motives, so I’m excited to see what happens next. Overall, I think that the writing in Alphacore #1 is great. The plot is interesting, the characters are compelling, the dialogue is natural and funny at times, and the art is of the highest quality.
Another element that I enjoyed was the underlying issue of Excepts used by the government. While not much is done with that plot point in this issue, I can easily see it coming up again later on, and I’m excited to see how it’s handled. Something I find fresh about Alphacore is that they want to be police officers first and foremost. They aren’t defined by their powers and abilities, but instead by what they want to use those powers and abilities for. It makes the team very likable and interesting, and I can’t wait to see more of them.
Finally, I want to address Chuck Dixon’s, the accomplished author of this fantastic comic book, message at the back of the book. In his message, he mentions that these comics are supposed to be optimistic and enjoyable. He succeeds. While the comic isn’t afraid to have some sad and dark moments, it still remains fun and optimistic, just like the other comics the Rippaverse has produced.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Alphacore #1, and following the Rippaverse for that matter. Rippaverse has big plans for how it’s going to expand, so now is the easiest time to get invested. And as someone who enjoys superheroes but isn’t the biggest comic book fan, Rippaverse Comics is steadily changing that opinion with each new issue released. The Alphacore #1 campaign has less than two weeks to go, so now is still the perfect time to take part and pick up a copy of the newest chapter in the ever-expanding Rippaverse Comics catalogue.
Broad Scope Entertainment 