Orphan Age #1 Review

Writer: Ted Anderson

Artist: Nuno Plati

Rating: 7 of 8

Orphan Age #1

When I was a lot younger, I wondered what it would be like if all  adults disappeared. There'd just be teenagers, children, that's it. Would society fall apart, or would we help each other? Would things be better with a fresh start, or would we struggle without their help or guidance? 

Orphan Age is centred around this idea, though I wish it explored more of the time immediately after the adults all die. I would've found it more interesting seeing the teens and kids doing their best to rebuild society and how it affected different people in different ways. Instead, the issue skips ahead 20 years and though it's still a quality issue, I feel it would've stood out more against other post-apocalyptic tales if it had focused more on the initial rebuilding of society and the different emotional impacts it would have.

That's my only real criticism, as the writing's solid and though the art's got a simple style, it works fine. We do get to see how the numerous deaths affected one of the Dallas Town residents and get a bit of a feel of how life is there. In a conversation between a young girl named Princess and her father, we get a sense of how this new world contrasts with the old.

The peace of this place doesn't last, with the arrival of the New Church necessitating a quick exit. The last few moments make me feel we're in for a road trip for the next few issues, as I don't think they'll arrive at their destination that soon. I'm not quite sure what the quotations at the end mean, but hopefully you do. Due to Daniel being on the cover, I got the impression he'd be our main character, but reading the issue, I feel it's more Princess. I hope if you try this, that you enjoy it and that this is just the start of a stirring sci-fi tale.