Art: Ian Macewan
Color: Brad Simpson
Design: Sonia Harris
Letters: Rus Wooton
Review: Art Bee
I wish I could say something like it has a great cover or appealing artwork, but the only reason this comic book came home with me is my fascination for Roman numeration.
The title of this comic is 1975 by our numerals. Granted, Roman numerals are bulkier to use but just look at how much more interesting they are.
They seem like an entitlement instead of a number. I believe the title is a reference to the time period in which the story takes place, but it is not clear.
Pamela Evans, a cab driver in an unknown metropolis, is the main character in MCMLXXV #1. Our first look at this lady shows her as a badass by her using her cab as a weapon against a large group of ninjas who just happen to be occupying the entire street. She then exits the cab and proceeds to pummel the katana-wielding warriors with a tire iron. We are never given a reason for the group of ninjas being there or whether they were there to attack Pamela or her fare. In addition there is no provocation for Pamela to attack other than the ninjas being in the way.
Is this a story of heroic roadrage?
The most intriguing feature of this comic book is the narration which is done by a graveyard shift radio disc jockey named Prefect Patterson.
Patterson plays a duel role in the story as he is also Pamela’s love interest. This angle has to be my favorite part of the book because it legitimizes the narrator and gives him more credit within the story and with the reader.
I have to admit when I first saw the name Prefect I read it as Perfect, and it wasn’t until almost the end of the issue before I recognized my misreading. We all have moments like that, don’t we?
It strikes me as odd that I feel more of a connection to the narrator of the story than I do to the heroine. Is that the intention of the writer?
Overall this comic book seemed like it missed the mark. MCMLXXV #1 seems to lack a clear plot line. All we have is Pamela fighting ninjas and monsters. There is a building of a mystery about her, but there is too much mystery. I felt like too much information was being kept from me about Pamela. I wanted to like her, but the feeling I got was similar to wanting to be friends with someone who doesn’t want to be a friend back.
The artwork felt a little under par. It isn’t bad but it seems a little sloppy but not enough to be offensive. The lines were right on target at times and other times they miss the mark. The saving grace of the artwork is the colors. It almost seemed to me that the color artist, Brad Simpson, tries to distract the reader with some amazing color work.
MCMLXXV #1 is a bland story. There is no build up. There is no antagonist presented. Granted, there is an ominous voice that speaks on the last page but that only works with a climax in the story, which is absent in this issue. This comic has not given me anything that makes me want to keep reading, so I will not be getting this title again.
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