Writer: Tom Pinchuk
Artist: Kate Glasheen
Company: Archaia Studios Press

This book had a hook that I just couldn’t ignore. Anyone who pays attention to Greek mythology knows that Zeus is a randy old goat who screws basically any woman he gets his hands on (and probably men, too, knowing the Greeks, but there’s not so much attention paid to that). Hera has always hated his cheating ways. In Hybrid Bastards, she enlisted the help of her cousin Hypnos eighteen years before to punish Zeus by making him uncontrollably attracted to inanimate objects for a night. Now, his divine offspring from that night are reaching adulthood and looking for Daddy’s approval- but they don’t quite match up to Hercules or Perseus.

Pinchuk keeps a fun vibe going throughout the book, treating the characters seriously enough that the story feels important somehow but with enough tongue-in-cheek that it’s an entertaining ride along the way. This issue focuses on the gathering of the hybrid siblings by Panos. I’m not real sure what Panos is, actually- he looks normal enough but carries around a weird helmet. Panos has gathered Corey, who is half-apple, Walter, who is half-brick wall, Carmine, who is half-car, and Cotton, who is half-pile of clothes. Together, they make a sad team, but Pinchuk very definitely gives them their own personalities, and their confusion and anger about what and who they are comes through well.

Another very important part of the Hybrid Bastards experience is Kate Glasheen’s stylized watercolor artwork. Filled with jagged edges and sharp lines that contrast but still work well with the lighter look of the watercolors, Glasheen’s art can be somewhat nebulous, relying at times more on the impression and feel of something than a more straightforward drawing. On occasion this made reading a bit more difficult, but overall her art style made the experience a very rewarding one. I find her combination of black lines and watercolors to be a delightful one, and I’m always glad to see new painted styles in comics.

Overall, this was a lively first issue with some great ideas and very cool artwork, and I’ll be following it up to see how it ends. Hybrid Bastards combines a fantastic premise with enjoyable writing and tremendous art to produce a great story.

This is an advance review. This issue is due for release on December 12th.