Defenders Of Eden #1 Review: A New Indie Series You Should Know About

I am all for new indie titles in the comic book world. There are many interesting stories out there other than what Marvel and DC Comics offer. If you are interested in reading a fantastical story, you should consider reading Defenders Of Eden by Matthew Rodriguez, CJ Edwards, and Andrew Cramer.

I was provided a free copy of Defenders Of Eden Issue 1 for review. The opinions are my own.

Before I talk about the story being presented in Defenders Of Eden Issue 1, I have to write a few lines about the gorgeous art (pencils and inks by CJ Edwards and colors by Andrew Cramer). The panels display a world which feels familiar but still unique. There is a lot of attention given to character details. You can tell the Saurians (dinosaur-people) have thick skin, how strong the armor looks, and more.

If I were to force myself to complain, it would be about how Scotward has a very flat butt in one of the panels. It is as if his back is directly attached to his legs. Either that or he is clenching for some reason. Also, it is me, or are the women too skinny around the waists?

As for the story, I wouldn’t be surprised if readers think of it as a mesh of stuff they are already familiar with. However, judging by the premise, I am looking forward to the continuation of this series. It is not easy to world-build, and that is why I say Rodriguez did a good job of introducing readers to Eden, its inhabitants, the heroes, the villains, and hint at what is yet to come.

In the good-guy team, we have a general, a captain, a blacksmith, and an engineer. With the story having both science and magic, of course, it comes across as an RPG. It will be interesting to see if the characters are able to learn new skills and tricks as they move forward in their adventures. There was only so much Rodriquez could tell about the main characters in a single issue. The good news is Defenders Of Eden Issue 1 was able to give us the basics about each player. The cover of the first issue also shows two new characters joining the heroic team. I look forward to meeting them.

Having said that, I would have liked to learn more about the villainous Lady Maryweather. I am not always a fan of characters being bad for the sake of being bad. I want complex backgrounds. I want motivations regardless of how twisted they are. Now, I’m not saying someone can’t be born evil. It is just such evil beings don’t always work. Also, the battle was won too soon by the good guys in the first issue. I want higher stakes.

Furthermore, due to the kind of content this website focuses on, I don’t know if there are any queer characters in this story. Maybe in the upcoming issues, we might learn about them? I am not sure.

If you are looking for a new indie title to support, perhaps consider picking up Defenders Of Eden Issue 1?

Do visit the series’ official website. There is even a Facebook page. You can also follow on Twitter.

Feel free to share your thoughts with us.

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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