Unknown Soldier #1 Review

Summary

Moses remembers being displaced from Uganda when the conflict began and brought to America with his family. There he became a doctor and married a woman also a doctor. He gives a speech about returning to Uganda to help the many displaced people there. The crowd pays him little mind instead being drawn to the beautiful white actress. At Night Moses has a violent dream which makes him very afraid. In the morning they depart for Acholiland. Once there they quickly become overwhelmed by the amount of work they have before them. Moses becomes more distant to his wife as the many maimed and sick children continue to lumber in. One day a child with his head almost chopped clean off is brought in and Moses without thinking rushes off to take on the rebels. The two child soldiers kill the soldier accompanying him and at close range prepare to kill Moses. Inside a voice tells him to attack and he does. He takes out the, would be killer and riddles his body with bullets. He tells the other one to carry the injured girl back to camp as he lays there with the two dead bodies the voice continues to tell him he can kill them all. Trying to quite the voice he viciously cuts at his own face until the voice dies down and he collapses between the corpses, scarred forever with Blood streaming down his face.

The Good

Story- the Humanitarian crisis in Uganda is thrown into the public sphere, to great effect. This story sheds light on a conflict that, lets be honest most didn’t even know existed! If you are waiting on BBC and CNN to tell you what’s happening in the world or better yet the “real world” your f***ed. In the western world we have a little bubble we live in where it’s a “rock and roll”, “Pop” or “Geek bubble” we each populate one. Unless someone gets killed right in front of you the “reality of life” never quite rings true. Here we have a conflict between extremist Christians and the government of the country. The atrocities committed there would make you hurl! When you’re done reading this hit Google for the Uganda conflict, look at the child soldiers, look at the mutilated young and old, the dead bodies….it’s all there and this story by Joshua Dysart pulls you out of your safe unreal little world of McDonalds and cable into the heart of Ugnada. Great stuff!!!

Protagonist- Moses is an idealist of the highest caliber. How he arrives at being the man he is today is an interesting tale. His wife like him shares this idealist altruism which would leave the normal human mind perplexed. His past and present come together and go to “war” at night as he sleeps. Nightmares he calls them of himself killing his loving wife and others. He doesn’t understand at this point that reality and the beliefs he has held onto all these years are at odds. In a world where “might is right” turning the other cheek becomes increasingly ridiculous. He realizes this but refuses to acknowledge it thus his internal conflict! I like this dude….his complex mind and borderline schizophrenia makes for good time ahead! Sign me up!

Gruesome- Listen if you’re squeamish in any way, Stay away! Seriously! This is gritty, over the top violence that will make “slash-porn” fans very happy. It will make action fans happy too but man is it not bloody!

Dark Humor- One scene when his wife asks him if he finds the white actress attractive he laments that her fascination with him and Africa as a place which needs “help” and in need of saving borders on “fetishism” made me chuckle because most times when the west helps Africa it’s because of the same thing. Lol

Reality– It was also a great touch for the titular character to realize what I myself have realized since I was in High school. Africa can not and should not hope for the west to solve its problems nor should the west be blamed for its problems instead the nation as a whole needs to form a united front to put an end to all the infighting and segregation them selves IF they ever hope to have peace and achieve anything. I found this bold especially considering I agreed with it…and it was espoused by a white writer, go figure! lol

The Bad

Adult content- Blood and violence is not for everyone, add to that adult language and this is a tale not suited for kids

Not mainstream mainstream-If you’re not interested in being pulled out of your safe lil world? Move on! The crappy x-men is in your local comic shop.

Art– While I think the art fits the tone some will be turned off because of the dank and drab color palette. If you only like enhanced visuals like say Salvadore Larroca then you won’t be pulled in.

The Ugly

5/5 solid!