REVIEW: ‘Gasolina’ #1 Makes a Brutal Debut
Gasolina #1 has the right beats to be a great crime series.
It’s always a pleasure to read the debut issue of a new comic book, especially one that completely captures and surprises you. Gasolina #1 (by Sean Mackiewicz, Niko Walter and Mat Lopes) is latest offering from Image and Skybound that takes a look at the drug cartels in Mexico, and teases a few things more.
Newlyweds Randy and Amalia are trying to settle down in Mexico, but they just can’t seem to escape their criminal past, as they end up working for a cartel. Without realizing it, they have started a war with a new cartel that thrives on violence and brutality (as you will see halfway into the issue). In the back matter, Sean Mackiewicz explained he wanted to explore the new heights of the cartels’ inhumane violence, or in his words, “mega murder.”
Gasolina #1 focuses more on developing the characters of Randy and Amalia than moving the plot. Mackiewicz gives us a taste the different skills of the couple by putting them in different situations, and it’s apparent that they obviously have been through some tough times. At the same time, Mackiewicz introduces an interesting subplot involving flesh-eating bugs, as foreshadowed in the beginning of the issue.
The art of Niko Walter and Mat Lopes give the issue a cinematic feel, utilizing widescreen panels for storytelling. The best aspect of their art is the flexibility of their skills as they shift from “clean” panels to a brutal scene in an instant. Randy and Amalia can be seen just relaxing peacefully in a farm in the beginning, and as the story gets darker, so is the art. Walter’s pencils perfectly capture the violence in the killings, and the heavy inks add a sense of dread and despair in the people’s faces. Most of Lopes’ colors feature dusty tones, since the setting takes place in rural Mexico. But he proves he can still incorporate some grit if need be.
The book feels gritty, and if the back matter’s something to go by, it’s only going to get more violent and darker from here on out. Gasolina #1 definitely has the right beats to be a great crime series.