Comic Break: Unknown Soldier #1 (Vertigo)

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Unknown Soldier
Issue: #1
Writer: Joshua Dysart
Artist: Alberto Ponticelli
32 pp. Vertigo. $2.99

Reviewed by Paul Stotts

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“You’re a good man, Lwanga Moses. The best I’ve ever known.”—Unknown Soldier #1

Lwanga Moses is a good man facing down a horrible evil in Vertigo’s new comic series Unknown Soldier. As a child, Lwanga’s family fled from the atrocities occurring in his homeland of Uganda. Now, Lwanga returns to Uganda, a Harvard-educated doctor and pacifist, looking to rebuild the nation and help the people of the region. Still, atrocities towards children including mutilations run rampant. If that wasn’t bad enough, children are also kidnapped and forced to fight in the resistance army against their will.

In the face of these horrors, Lwanga hopes to inspire change. To teach peace instead of violence. To help Africans unite and help themselves. However, violent and disturbing nightmares plague Lwanga, raising deep concerns within him about his own sanity.

The first issue focuses heavily on establishing the setting and outlining the political and social issues plaguing Uganda. Writer Joshua Dysart’s script exposes a part of the world that is largely ignored by the Western world. For those who have never heard of the atrocities that occur in Africa, the story will be particularly educational and conscience-raising. This is life that is chilling and real and should ultimately matter to us as human beings. Though the story is socially relevant and powerful, it is not pedantic. Dysart strives for a fair balance and in the process raises some interesting questions.

Alberto Ponticelli’s visuals add to the authenticity of the storytelling; the art is simple and solid in its presentation. Some of the perspective work is odd-looking, but the artwork in general is stellar. Ponticelli’s work involved me in the emotions of the characters which is a great success considering the interiors here mainly focus on the character’s responses to events.

Filled with a high degree of social and humanitarian relevance, the first issue of Unknown Soldier is quite intriguing. Dysart has the series poised on elevated comic ground, a story with real substance behind it. If the intelligence and commentary displayed in the first issue continue to grow, Unknown Soldier could emerge as a hidden gem.

Final Grade: 78 out of 100