Making a post-apocalyptic tale work isn’t easy these days. Just about everyone and their mother have traveled this path, and it’s beyond well-trodden, at this point. But somehow, Terry Mayo, Lucas Romero and the folks over at Alterna Comics have delivered up a true beauty in the form of The Wicked Righteous.

I don’t need to get into the specifics of the plot too much, as you can probably take a guess and produce the gist, but I’ll touch down briefly on a few things that should pique your interest. The world’s gone to Hell. Most of the world’s adults have grown ill and died. The children, for the most part, seem to be immune to whatever kind of virus this might be, but the world’s prisoners also seem to be immune. So, what you’ve got is a world flushed down the drain, left to be rebuilt by kids and savages. It’s not going to be a smooth journey, and issue #1 lets us know that right away.

The conflicts rooted within the grand conflict – all obvious products of the sharp turn the earth has taken – are interesting. Leaving the story to rest, in large part, on the shoulders of four young brothers. How they’ll navigate their way through this new world is where the greatest mystery lies, but how they’ll survive on a day to day basis is what’s going to really matter in this six-issue arc. The first issue is anchored in problems, and that’s a good sign for the series. The Wicked Righteous is in no danger of being dull.

Terry Mayo is a sharp writer. We immediately see that Mayo cares for story details and diverse characters. The dialog is terrific and the pacing is addictive. It’s a shame we’ve only got about 30 pages an issue, as this one really catches the reader. If you’re not familiar with Mayo, this book is the hook through your cheek.

Mayo doesn’t make it magical alone. Lucas Romero is a kick ass artist who puts together some crisp lines, nails facial expressions and throws just enough of an anime look to make the imagery unique to many other titles. The man produces an engaging visual that works particularly well with the story and the overall tone of the book.

I’m still getting myself adjusted and informed on some of Alterna Comics’ titles, but this is an outright shoo-in for early favorite. I like the characters, I like the story, and I absolutely love the first issue’s finale, which sets up what could be a compelling twist and a slick new character.

The book is available right here for an absurdly cheap price!

Rating: 4/5