“Yesterday’s” Comic> Alpha Gods: Betrayal #1

Seriously, where are these characters running to on covers? Are they trying to catch the latest episode of MacGyver or something?

Alpha Gods: Betrayal #1

Orang Utan Comics (2009)

“Do You Want A Riot?”

WRITER/LETTERER: Ian Sharman

COVER ART: Azim Akberali

ARTIST: Ezequiel Pineda

COLORIST: Mauro Barbosa

Drive-Thru Comics lists this as “volume 2”, so I’m guessing this is the second adventure for this team, in a world where aliens, fallen angels and their children, mutants, and other “extra humans” all live. The Alpha Gods are a special unit of extra humans working for the government’s Department For Extra Human Affairs (DEHA). The team starts this story rescuing a girl who can open portals from a warlock who wants to release fallen angels on the world at the orders of one of those angel kids. One member of the bad guys recognizes team leader Paladin, referring to him by his given name and letting him go. The girl joins the team, while Paladin is sent with Outrage to talk to an alien who has information on what the angel kid, Malak, is planning next. They get part of the information before the woman shows up again, killing the informant and after Paladin destroys her mask revealing herself as someone from his past that feels betrayed by his leaving. She leaves them alone, but will it be the last time he gets off without being attacked?

What they got right: Throwing everything in there–mutants, supernatural, aliens–blends very well together for a second series/miniseries. We get a good introduction to the team for newcomers like me. They banter but I don’t get the sense they don’t like each other. The art is really good, at a level you don’t see in a lot of indie comics.

What they got wrong: Why was the guy named Revenant, the only we don’t see in action while the others–including two women named Juice and Impact who at least get to show off during the rescue, so interested in the new girl, Eclipse (who is now tied to a “useless dimension” and thus no longer of interest to the villains)? Did they know each other? Does he have a similar history with cults? At least the mystery woman working for Malak is supposed to be a mystery a while longer.

What I think overall: This story is off to a pretty good start. I might want to check out more of this series in the future.