Publisher: Boom!/Archaia
Writer: Matthew Daily
Artist: Carlos Magno
Colourist: Chris Blythe
Release date: 10 June 2015
Price: $3.99

Vive la Revolution! In steampunky walled Lantern City the population is enslaved. “The actions of one are the actions of all” is the peoples’ terror mantra. All the watched by numerous and brutal and scary robot Guards, who resemble fire fighters. The population work for the Greys and everyone keeps their heads down, and only brag about meeting their quota.

Liberté, égalité, fraternité. Underground resistance fighter Sander masquerades as “airborne class” Guard Captain Orlin. Wearing a purloined uniform Sander enters the lion’s den of Lantern City.

A game of cat-and-mouse develops between Sander/Orlin and the creepy government investigator, hot on the imposter’s heels, Sootoh Belm; Orlin is obviously the mouse as far as the monolithic state is concerned. The conculsion of Lantern City #2 is unexpected, and serves to complicate Sander’s life significantly.

Matthew Daily provides clean and concise prose. Sander says, “I fell a grand total of six feet. I’m still pretty sure I’m dead.” That’s hard-boiled.

Carlos Magno’s fine art looks as if it could have come from the Joe Kubert School and that is high praise indeed. The Guard design is an eye pleasing mixture of British Edwardianism and Commie-Nazi.

The story looks best when overlooking the stylistic city, circumvented with carriage-carrying dirigibles.

Lantern City shines an impressive light.

Reviewer: Joe Lovece
Reviews Editor: Steve Hooker