You think the “X-Men” have it bad? Wait until you hear how difficult life has been for this other team of super-powered misfits…
Written by Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett
Illustrated by Tom Grummett
Colored by Ben Dimagmaliw
Lettered by Comicraft’s Richard Starkings“GROUND ZERO,” Part One A team of fearless adventurers uncovers the secrets behind UFOs, MONSTERS, and LOST CIVILIZATIONS! It’s “JACK-KIRBY-does-The-X-Files” in this miniseries by one of comics’ classic creative teams—KARL KESEL (Harley Quinn, Superboy) and TOM GRUMMETT (The Death of Superman, Superboy)—and some of the greatest alternative cover artists in the industry!
You have to admire the resilience of “Section Zero.” The series began way back in the year 2000 at the now-defunct Gorilla Comics, a short-lived imprint of Image, running to only three issues before abruptly stopping due to financial difficulties. In the almost two decades since then, the series has maintained an online presence and accumulated a cult fanbase, culminating in a successful Kickstarter campaign that saw the first volume finally published in full last year. Creators Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett now bring that completed work back to Image in the form of this six-issue miniseries, ahead of a crowd-funded second volume which has already met its goal. It’s a resounding endorsement for the art of perseverance, but is it worth all the trouble it faced on the way to store shelves? The short answer is yes.
So, who are these “Section Zero” folks? Well, officially they don’t exist. But, in a strictly off-the-record capacity, they are a U.N funded covert team who deal with unexplained phenomena all over the world. The solicitation describes it as “Jack Kirby does The X-Files” which might be a bit too flattering, but does serve as a concise summary of the general idea. The roguish and aptly-named Sam Wildman leads the team, which also counts his ex-wife Dr. Titania Challenger among its number. Rounding out the ranks of the ground squad is an innocent extra-terrestrial named Tesla and new recruit flyboy (literally) Thom Talesi, while the mysterious A.J. Keeler calls the shots from the safety of the team’s headquarters.
It’s a set-up that will be instantly familiar to readers of “Doom Patrol” or “X-Men” and in that sense, the book can hardly be praised as revolutionary, but it has a strong enough identity of its own to avoid being branded a knock-off. Part of that is down to the scripting which is mostly strong, bar a few weak spots. “Section Zero” opens with an appeal for help from an Australian farmer whose livestock is being killed by some unknown beast. Not only is it an intriguing and well-told mystery that effectively kicks off this arc, but Kesel and Grummett give the farmer a voice that elevates him above bog-standard exposition (without loading up on too many Aussie clichés).
This strong characterization remains for the duration, with the core members of the team each baring clear-cut personalities from the word go. As previously mentioned, this isn’t the most original cast in your local comic book store and certainly, it could be regarded as somewhat archetypal, but they manage to remain interesting all the same. The back-and-forth banter is generally quite fun, while many a seed is sewn regarding the as-of-yet unrevealed back stories that led them to this unorthodox team. Granted, not every line is gold and one scene from around halfway through is weighed down by some particularly clunky exchanges, but overall this debut issue does more than enough legwork to keep readers invested for another issue.
Having not read the series in its original form, I can’t say for sure whether any tweaks or changes have been made to the illustrations. That said, if they have been left the same, it should be noted they have aged very well. Grummett and colorist Ben Dimagmaliw work superbly together, creating cinematic panels and highly atmospheric environments. This first issue alone takes us to the Australian outback and a fictional war-torn country, as well as the futuristic home of “Section Zero.” Each environment feels distinct and the kinetic panel layouts keep things visually engaging throughout, with Dimagmaliw’s colors making great use of the varied lighting. With one notable exception, the character designs are a little bit vanilla, but this does seem to be intentional (at least to some extent). Tesla appears reminiscent of the legendary Roswell alien of the 1950s after a significant growth spurt, while Doc Challenger feels like a meaningful evolution of the objectified female heroines of 90s comics – although the impractically revealing costume suggests they could have pushed this idea a little further.
“Section Zero” might not win any awards for nuanced or thought-provoking storytelling, but it is undeniably fun. The book throws you in at the deep end with an established team already in the midst of a bizarre mission, making good use of a compelling point-of-view character to prevent things from getting overwhelming. The art is strong throughout with fluid action and a near-constant sense of forward momentum, forming a package that is likely to please fans of sci-fi adventure. Indeed, it’s easy to see why this series has built a cult fanbase and endured considerable hardships to make it onto store shelves. Its plucky band of oddball heroes might not be a revolutionary idea in today’s landscape, but its well-executed and a charming read. With any luck, the team will stick around for a bit longer this time.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – “Section Zero” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does deliver an entertaining sci-fi mystery with palpable enthusiasm.
