Lucas Stand #1 (of 6) –
Boom! Studios
Written by Kurt Sutter
Caitlin Kittredge
Illustrated by Jesus Hervas
Colors by Adam Metcalfe
Letters by Jim Campbell
Cover by Lee Bermejo
Intensity. That is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Kurt Sutter. Toughness, edge and intensity to take it a bit further. When I saw that he had a new comic from Boom! Studios, I knew to expect all of that, but was curious to see what else would be brought to the table. So it’s time to hop off those motorcycles and dive into the pages of Lucas Stand.
Lucas was a soldier, and as is the case in some instances, hasn’t had the easiest time after having served his country. He is a broken man, both mentally and physically, and his life is nowhere near a happy one. He makes a huge mistake that leads to a decision that would change things in his life drastically. Lucas isn’t a big believer in second chances, but he gets one in a very unique way from (what he thinks) is a familiar face. It’s not too long until we see him in a new mission, of which he isn’t sure is real or, at the very least, one that he is capable of executing. The end reveal of this book may finally make him a believer.
There was plenty to like about this book, but also a few things that were a bit off-putting. The raw emotion that is put into Lucas Strand is quite palpable. Both Sutter and Kittredge put you in a position where you will have a lot of feelings about their main character. There is also a bit of real life, in that, Lucas doesn’t exactly buy what’s happening to him. Too often we see blind acceptance in stories like this, so this was a refreshing change. At the same time, once things did take a turn, I was a little disappointed about the setting in the third act. I feel like it’s a place in time that has been done in SO many stories, I wish that they had at least started somewhere else. I also think they could have gotten to the point a bit faster, as there was a bit of a drag at times. The art is good, even visually striking at times. I will definitely keep Lucas Stand on my radar, but I’d like to see this supernatural solider story straighten up a bit.
RATING: PICK UP