The first issue of this four-part miniseries from Panick Entertainment throws us straight into the fire. Savager #1 begins at square one, no backstory required, introducing Phillip “Savager” Kane, a hardened anti-hero hacking his way through mutants and eldritch nightmares in a world shattered nearly a century after “The Event.”
The first issue kicks off with teeth bared and never loosens its grip. Set in 2136 CE, the comic drops us into the aftermath of an apocalypse that left the Earth crawling with monstrosities. Savager, a scowling, leather-armored survivor armed with a hulking sword, bursts onto the page mid-chase, grotesque tentacle-spawned horrors clawing at his heels. The panels explode with motion: snarls, crashes, blood sprays, and steel slicing through alien flesh.
Through quick, jagged flashbacks, we glimpse how society rotted from 2034 onward, societies and governments falling apart, thawed cryonic nightmares, and cities swallowed by infection. By the close, Kane finds himself face-to-face with a towering, many-limbed monstrosity in the ruins of a failed utopia. Hints of hidden forces manipulating the chaos creep in, raising the stakes while keeping answers just out of reach. The issue thrives on relentless survival horror energy, sharpened with a sword-and-sorcery edge.
Reading it feels like being jolted with adrenaline. The opening fight scenes practically demand you shout encouragement at the page, like you’re watching a prize fight between man and monster. Kane himself hits the sweet spot: battle-hardened but still human, gruff but not one-dimensional. Dirk Blackman & Shannon Denton’s script nails curt dialogue, letting silence and art carry much of the weight. The pacing barrels forward, peppered with time-jump sequences that drip with dread instead of dumping exposition.
What works best is the sheer abandon of it all. This isn’t a superhero drama; it’s down-and-dirty carnage, a gleeful bloodbath with a Lovecraftian aftertaste. It toys with expectations, beginning as a straightforward survivalist post-apocalyptic tale before veering into cosmic horror territory with cults and writhing appendages. Where it stumbles: those rapid timeline leaps can cause a little whiplash if you’re not locked in, and the density of some panels risks burying clever details on the first read. But when the highs hit, they soar.
The visuals deserve their own spotlight. Schimerys Baal’s colors shift between rotting jungle greens and teals that make ruins feel alive and suffocating, then erupt into searing reds and purples when the gore splashes across the panels. There’s a painterly, almost oil-brushed quality that deepens the nightmare vibe without bogging down the action. Sal Cipriano’s lettering matches the chaos KRASH! and SPLUK! crash into the panels as jagged, dripping extensions of the artwork, making every strike feel heavier.
Savager #1 is a brutal, high-energy debut that showcases everything indie horror comics can deliver: a grimy world, nonstop clashes, and art that screams menace. While the momentum falters only slightly, the atmosphere and execution make it an easy recommendation. Think of it as The Walking Dead’s grit colliding with Hellboy’s occult strangeness; if that sounds like your flavor, this issue is essential.
Ultimately, Savager #1 drags you headfirst into a nightmare built from humanity’s arrogance, leaving you craving the next bloody chapter. If you want your end-of-the-world stories smeared in ichor and tentacles, this one’s a feast.
‘Savager’ #1 Review: Delivers a Gore-Soaked Rampage Through a Tentacle-Torn Wasteland
Savager #1 drags you headfirst into a nightmare built from humanity’s arrogance, leaving you craving the next bloody chapter. If you want your end-of-the-world stories smeared in ichor and tentacles, this one’s a feast.
