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Dawnrunner #1-5
Dawnrunner
Massive mechs battle giant monsters in this epic sci-fi graphic novel by comics superstars Ram V and Evan Cagle.
A story of heroes, impossible armors, ghosts, and people, centuries apart, trying to keep their worlds from crumbling.
A century ago, a portal opened over Central America and giant monsters known as the Tetza came through, changing everything we knew. Now the world bends all its effort to build the Iron Kings—great mechs driven by pilots—that battle the Tetza in gladiatorial combat for humanity's continued survival. War has turned to sport.
Star jockey Anita Marr has been chosen to pilot a secret new prototype that could change the tide in humanity's favor.
After a difficult first battle together, Anita begins to uncover and understand the unusual connection forming between herself and the experimental new Iron King, Dawnrunner. As the Tetza threat grows, Anita, Dawnrunner, and their secrets will become mankind’s last hope. Are we doomed or will dramatic revelations push Anita and Dawnrunner to transcend into something new?
Written by Ram V, drawn by Evan Cagle, colored by Dave Stewart and Francesco Segala, and lettered by Aditya Bidikar.
Collects Dawnrunner #1–#5.
A story of heroes, impossible armors, ghosts, and people, centuries apart, trying to keep their worlds from crumbling.
A century ago, a portal opened over Central America and giant monsters known as the Tetza came through, changing everything we knew. Now the world bends all its effort to build the Iron Kings—great mechs driven by pilots—that battle the Tetza in gladiatorial combat for humanity's continued survival. War has turned to sport.
Star jockey Anita Marr has been chosen to pilot a secret new prototype that could change the tide in humanity's favor.
After a difficult first battle together, Anita begins to uncover and understand the unusual connection forming between herself and the experimental new Iron King, Dawnrunner. As the Tetza threat grows, Anita, Dawnrunner, and their secrets will become mankind’s last hope. Are we doomed or will dramatic revelations push Anita and Dawnrunner to transcend into something new?
Written by Ram V, drawn by Evan Cagle, colored by Dave Stewart and Francesco Segala, and lettered by Aditya Bidikar.
Collects Dawnrunner #1–#5.
168 pages, Hardcover
Published December 24, 2024
17 people are currently reading
311 people want to read
About the author
Ram V
485 books349 followersRam V (Ramnarayan Venkatesan) is an author and comic book writer from Mumbai, India. His comics career began in 2012 with the award-nominated Indian comic series, Aghori. A graduate of the City University of London’s Creative Writing MA, he has since created the critically acclaimed Black Mumba and the fantasy adventure series, Brigands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
January 11, 2025
I'm not the biggest fan of mech/kaiju stories - the stories feel very samey to me, with only tiny evolutions in storytelling ideas. Ram V doesn't add much either, sadly. All of it feels like you've seen or read it somewhere else before. I think the book could've benefitted from a sharper focus, probably on the intermingling of the main character and the mech's organic OS.
Then the pacing goes nuts in the last part, ending with a page long expositionary epilogue in text. Was this supposed to be an ongoing series and then cancelled?
The art is very nice.. but the battle scenes were more or less unreadable to me. I had no idea what was happening.
2.5 stars
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)
Then the pacing goes nuts in the last part, ending with a page long expositionary epilogue in text. Was this supposed to be an ongoing series and then cancelled?
The art is very nice.. but the battle scenes were more or less unreadable to me. I had no idea what was happening.
2.5 stars
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)
Read
September 1, 2024Ram V doing mechs versus kaiju? Yes please. Not least because he seems to do so well in his artistic collaborators too, and if Evan Cagle and Dave Stewart's action scenes aren't always the clearest, the trippier moments, the visions of respite or of apocalypse, can be breathtaking. The bigger problem is one of timing; I read this during my first watch of Evangelion, and given how large that looms in the genre, it's no wonder if there's a fair bit of overlap, from opaque agendas on both sides to complications in the link between the star pilot and their mech. If I'd watched the show years back like everyone else, obviously they'd feel more like being in conversation with a predecessor, and less like a retread, and that's on me rather than Dawnrunner. Even then, there are some cool tweaks, from the way the battles are treated as a spectator sport to the bittersweet refrain "we save what we can".
(Edelweiss ARC)
(Edelweiss ARC)
March 29, 2025
(Rating)
4.9/5 Stars
8.9/10
(Synopsis: Spoiler Free)
96 years ago or at least before the story picks up, a portal opened over Central America and giant monsters known as the Tetza which are essentially kaiju types come through and begin an extinction level war on humanity.
This event is referenced multiple times because it drastically changed the trajectory and focus humans had at that time.
No longer living day to day but instead focusing all efforts from across the globe to winning and surviving this war at all cost.
That effort and focus takes the shape of Iron Kings which are pretty much state of the art mechs built with the best resources the world can offer in hope that they will be piloted and used to fight back.
These iron kings are a success but quickly shape from a weapon of war and survival to a form of entertainment as the years pass. the battles between the iron kings and the tetza start being televised like a sci fi version of the WWE, even though the situations these iron king pilots are in are 100% not scripted and still very dangerous.
These pilots or jockeys as they are called in the book become sudo celebrities and at the top of the food chain is star jockey Anita Marr.
Due to her bordering celebrity status Anita is chosen to pilot a new state of the art iron king that uses tetza material to create potentially something new but possibly dangerous and this new IK is Dawnrunner.
Will this new Iron King play a positive or negative role in a looming threat, read this love letter to Kaiju vs Mech stories to find out.
(First Thoughts: Spoilers)
Anita as a character has some heartbreaking motivations to be a pilot that has a lot to do with the existence of the tetza and her daughter Annie.
Anita and dawn runner both have tons of layers when it comes to the impact they have on the story.
It is very fun and humanizing to explore both Anita and her orgins as a character including those touching motivations I referenced that I feel many will sympathize with.
The plot thickens as the world is built in front of us, showing that in many aspects the world is motivated and controlled by corporate greed.
This comes in the form of the corporations responsible for the IK’s creation having tons of money behind the tetza and the battles that take place being televised.
Many want to stop or even understand the tetza such as a character by the name of Murali where others find that stopping the tetza means stopping the cash flow.
This corporate greed is personified by a few characters but mostly by the man known as Mr.Lestern who is at the end of the table as far as the corporations go.
After a few battles the layers of Anita and Dawnrunner begin too unravel but intertwine at the same time as the secrets behind how dawn runner works get revealed thanks to the help of Murali and Anitas closest friend Cat.
These secrets show themselves in the form of an unusual but mind bending connection between Anita and her new experimental IK which becomes that much more intimate when we get introduced to Major Ichiro.
Sadly this all begins to happen and take place as the tetza make yet another serious push in the war against humanity that causes the entire globe including Anita, other pilots like Xander, and the rest of the supporting cast to be called up to the front line against a new form of tetza never before seen.
Anita and dawn runner get tested non stop and evolve as characters from that point on.
The climax is a heart felt, pulse pounding and tear jerking point of the story, but to find out why and what Ichiro and Annie have to do with the story you will have to read and find out.
(Writing & Lettering: Spoiler Free)
From a writing stand point this story very clearly takes tons of inspiration from Pacific Rim and Evangelion or any other mech vs kaiju style of story mostly popularized by anime and manga.
I feel this inspiration does not negatively impact the story and if anything allowed me to appreciated the changes Ram V did make to a familiar world and setting.
Ram v tells us about the past and what took place to get us to the point of the story in a fast and loose way of storytelling while then slowing it down for the more intimate and personal details regarding the characters he introduces us to.
During this story all of the characters feel and act different while also having voices of their own.
This is done with the help of Aditya Bidikar on lettering who gives characters so much emotion through the bubbles and dialogue and sometimes even the distortion of those exact things.
During such a short story he leaves no stone unturned giving us scenes that establish the relationships between characters quickly which allows us to get back into the story and action at hand.
The exposition is done quickly and in small segments through out the story, making sure the reader doesn’t become bored with what they are reading or who they are learning about.
As far as the action goes Ram V takes a back seat and gives the art by Cagle time to breath and stretch its legs and that is a successful decision in my opinion.
When it comes to the relationships between characters that are more on a intimate level like what we see with Anita and her daughter Annie or Anita and Ichiro, Ram V approaches that with a logical mindset and has them interact in a way I feel real people would. This allows for some sympathy or self insert aspects to those characters which adds even more emotion.
For the climax Ram V kicks it up a notch and brings in nothing but action while some how giving us the most emotional scenes from the book.
The ending felt right and fitting and while it doesn’t land on an idealistic conclusion that some may want, it still hit incredibly hard and invoked mixed emotions which I enjoyed.
(Art & Colors: Spoiler Free)
When it comes to the art the anime and manga inspiration is present again.
Evan Cagles art feels like they are stills ripped right out of your favorite kaiju anime with all of the momentum and physicality still included.
His paneling is super unique and ambitious often steering as far away as possible from the typical 8 panel grid that many titles use no matter how much they try to change it stylistically.
Cagle is one of the most successful artist to portray motion and it’s in such a simplistic way.
Often portraying it as panels that have an object in it paired with a panel that no longer has that object present, but rather some dust or rock kicked up due to the motion of that said object.
All of which is painted masterfully in our imaginations due to the context clues Cagle plants for us as we read.
This skill is on full display along with all of his artistic ability in general during action sequences.
These action scenes are gruesome, creative and hard hitting which can always be difficult to display when reading a medium that lacks motion naturally like comics.
The slower moments has Cagles ability still on display especially when it comes to emotions or facial expressions of characters in several scenes.
He also does a wonderful job providing the visual representation of the technology that has been established by Ram V through the story.
He further more works with Ram Vs story telling when it comes to characters designs.
Ram v makes these people feel real and Cagle leans into that making sure that none of the characters feel larger than life like what we would often see from superhero comics regarding the designs or anatomy of those heroic type of characters.
I do want to mention Dave Stewart on colors during this section because not only is he a legendary colorist but like most letterers and colorist he is the unsung hero giving so much life to Cagles art with a pallet that fits this world Ram v built and the designs Cagle created.
The art in general left me in awe more times than not and I found myself often devouring every little detail on each page.
(Final Thoughts: Spoiler Free)
My reading experience was a quick one.
Being a fan of manga, anime and video games I was instantly in it till the end.
The characters, setting, and action felt familiar to things I loved yet fresh which kept me reading.
There’s very rarely instances where there’s to much of a good thing, and for me mechs vs kaiju is 100% a good thing and often a win theme wise.
They often say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and that is exactly what I feel this is.
While the inspiration of this story is pulled from heavily, the creative team still keeps things different and unique.
I feel some will give this title a negative notch for how heavy handed the inspiration is…
For me the opinion I have regarding this topic and readers that think the “typical” mech vs kaiju style of story often seen in movies and or video games is over saturated is that…if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Overworking an idea often comes at the detriment of the final product.
Sometimes following the K.I.S.S aka Keep It Simple Stupid mindset is the best way forward.
Adding more complexities to an already fairly complex story can sometimes harm the final product in the end.
I think this story being told using a familiar and obvious at times INSPIRED story telling theme/device like Kaiju vs giant robots was a smart idea overall.
Honestly if you ask me inspiration from something successful is never a bad thing, to quote Austin Kleon “Steal Like An Artist”.
A must read for any fans of mechs & Kaijus and an incredible example of just how talented some of these creators are.
Stay Nerdy! ✊🏻⚡️✊🏻
4.9/5 Stars
8.9/10
(Synopsis: Spoiler Free)
96 years ago or at least before the story picks up, a portal opened over Central America and giant monsters known as the Tetza which are essentially kaiju types come through and begin an extinction level war on humanity.
This event is referenced multiple times because it drastically changed the trajectory and focus humans had at that time.
No longer living day to day but instead focusing all efforts from across the globe to winning and surviving this war at all cost.
That effort and focus takes the shape of Iron Kings which are pretty much state of the art mechs built with the best resources the world can offer in hope that they will be piloted and used to fight back.
These iron kings are a success but quickly shape from a weapon of war and survival to a form of entertainment as the years pass. the battles between the iron kings and the tetza start being televised like a sci fi version of the WWE, even though the situations these iron king pilots are in are 100% not scripted and still very dangerous.
These pilots or jockeys as they are called in the book become sudo celebrities and at the top of the food chain is star jockey Anita Marr.
Due to her bordering celebrity status Anita is chosen to pilot a new state of the art iron king that uses tetza material to create potentially something new but possibly dangerous and this new IK is Dawnrunner.
Will this new Iron King play a positive or negative role in a looming threat, read this love letter to Kaiju vs Mech stories to find out.
(First Thoughts: Spoilers)
Anita as a character has some heartbreaking motivations to be a pilot that has a lot to do with the existence of the tetza and her daughter Annie.
Anita and dawn runner both have tons of layers when it comes to the impact they have on the story.
It is very fun and humanizing to explore both Anita and her orgins as a character including those touching motivations I referenced that I feel many will sympathize with.
The plot thickens as the world is built in front of us, showing that in many aspects the world is motivated and controlled by corporate greed.
This comes in the form of the corporations responsible for the IK’s creation having tons of money behind the tetza and the battles that take place being televised.
Many want to stop or even understand the tetza such as a character by the name of Murali where others find that stopping the tetza means stopping the cash flow.
This corporate greed is personified by a few characters but mostly by the man known as Mr.Lestern who is at the end of the table as far as the corporations go.
After a few battles the layers of Anita and Dawnrunner begin too unravel but intertwine at the same time as the secrets behind how dawn runner works get revealed thanks to the help of Murali and Anitas closest friend Cat.
These secrets show themselves in the form of an unusual but mind bending connection between Anita and her new experimental IK which becomes that much more intimate when we get introduced to Major Ichiro.
Sadly this all begins to happen and take place as the tetza make yet another serious push in the war against humanity that causes the entire globe including Anita, other pilots like Xander, and the rest of the supporting cast to be called up to the front line against a new form of tetza never before seen.
Anita and dawn runner get tested non stop and evolve as characters from that point on.
The climax is a heart felt, pulse pounding and tear jerking point of the story, but to find out why and what Ichiro and Annie have to do with the story you will have to read and find out.
(Writing & Lettering: Spoiler Free)
From a writing stand point this story very clearly takes tons of inspiration from Pacific Rim and Evangelion or any other mech vs kaiju style of story mostly popularized by anime and manga.
I feel this inspiration does not negatively impact the story and if anything allowed me to appreciated the changes Ram V did make to a familiar world and setting.
Ram v tells us about the past and what took place to get us to the point of the story in a fast and loose way of storytelling while then slowing it down for the more intimate and personal details regarding the characters he introduces us to.
During this story all of the characters feel and act different while also having voices of their own.
This is done with the help of Aditya Bidikar on lettering who gives characters so much emotion through the bubbles and dialogue and sometimes even the distortion of those exact things.
During such a short story he leaves no stone unturned giving us scenes that establish the relationships between characters quickly which allows us to get back into the story and action at hand.
The exposition is done quickly and in small segments through out the story, making sure the reader doesn’t become bored with what they are reading or who they are learning about.
As far as the action goes Ram V takes a back seat and gives the art by Cagle time to breath and stretch its legs and that is a successful decision in my opinion.
When it comes to the relationships between characters that are more on a intimate level like what we see with Anita and her daughter Annie or Anita and Ichiro, Ram V approaches that with a logical mindset and has them interact in a way I feel real people would. This allows for some sympathy or self insert aspects to those characters which adds even more emotion.
For the climax Ram V kicks it up a notch and brings in nothing but action while some how giving us the most emotional scenes from the book.
The ending felt right and fitting and while it doesn’t land on an idealistic conclusion that some may want, it still hit incredibly hard and invoked mixed emotions which I enjoyed.
(Art & Colors: Spoiler Free)
When it comes to the art the anime and manga inspiration is present again.
Evan Cagles art feels like they are stills ripped right out of your favorite kaiju anime with all of the momentum and physicality still included.
His paneling is super unique and ambitious often steering as far away as possible from the typical 8 panel grid that many titles use no matter how much they try to change it stylistically.
Cagle is one of the most successful artist to portray motion and it’s in such a simplistic way.
Often portraying it as panels that have an object in it paired with a panel that no longer has that object present, but rather some dust or rock kicked up due to the motion of that said object.
All of which is painted masterfully in our imaginations due to the context clues Cagle plants for us as we read.
This skill is on full display along with all of his artistic ability in general during action sequences.
These action scenes are gruesome, creative and hard hitting which can always be difficult to display when reading a medium that lacks motion naturally like comics.
The slower moments has Cagles ability still on display especially when it comes to emotions or facial expressions of characters in several scenes.
He also does a wonderful job providing the visual representation of the technology that has been established by Ram V through the story.
He further more works with Ram Vs story telling when it comes to characters designs.
Ram v makes these people feel real and Cagle leans into that making sure that none of the characters feel larger than life like what we would often see from superhero comics regarding the designs or anatomy of those heroic type of characters.
I do want to mention Dave Stewart on colors during this section because not only is he a legendary colorist but like most letterers and colorist he is the unsung hero giving so much life to Cagles art with a pallet that fits this world Ram v built and the designs Cagle created.
The art in general left me in awe more times than not and I found myself often devouring every little detail on each page.
(Final Thoughts: Spoiler Free)
My reading experience was a quick one.
Being a fan of manga, anime and video games I was instantly in it till the end.
The characters, setting, and action felt familiar to things I loved yet fresh which kept me reading.
There’s very rarely instances where there’s to much of a good thing, and for me mechs vs kaiju is 100% a good thing and often a win theme wise.
They often say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and that is exactly what I feel this is.
While the inspiration of this story is pulled from heavily, the creative team still keeps things different and unique.
I feel some will give this title a negative notch for how heavy handed the inspiration is…
For me the opinion I have regarding this topic and readers that think the “typical” mech vs kaiju style of story often seen in movies and or video games is over saturated is that…if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Overworking an idea often comes at the detriment of the final product.
Sometimes following the K.I.S.S aka Keep It Simple Stupid mindset is the best way forward.
Adding more complexities to an already fairly complex story can sometimes harm the final product in the end.
I think this story being told using a familiar and obvious at times INSPIRED story telling theme/device like Kaiju vs giant robots was a smart idea overall.
Honestly if you ask me inspiration from something successful is never a bad thing, to quote Austin Kleon “Steal Like An Artist”.
A must read for any fans of mechs & Kaijus and an incredible example of just how talented some of these creators are.
Stay Nerdy! ✊🏻⚡️✊🏻
February 9, 2025
I'm torn, because I'm always a huge sucker for Mecha/Kaiju related media, but I've consumed so much now a lot of it runs together. Ram V and Cagle clearly watched Neon Genesis Evangelion and Pacific rim before they made this, it pulls so much from those two. Which can help, if youre looking for it!
Thing is, it all does feel lifted from those two. I never felt super attached to the characters. A good portion of the plot and character moments feel rushed, like they needed another few issues or even double the length to let it all breathe. While I did enjoy the art in certain splashes, the moment to moment action almost was muddled and harder to follow. There is "rule of cool" moments here, that almost made me wanna add another star, but this was just missing some refinement or another pass to really make it special. Having said that, I had fun with this, it's up my alley.
Thing is, it all does feel lifted from those two. I never felt super attached to the characters. A good portion of the plot and character moments feel rushed, like they needed another few issues or even double the length to let it all breathe. While I did enjoy the art in certain splashes, the moment to moment action almost was muddled and harder to follow. There is "rule of cool" moments here, that almost made me wanna add another star, but this was just missing some refinement or another pass to really make it special. Having said that, I had fun with this, it's up my alley.
December 8, 2024
I was really intrigued by the first two issues of this standalone, it reminded me a lot of Neon Genesis Evangelion but with a gladiatorial edge that could’ve made for some entertaining fights, character dynamics and philosophical concepts.
But as things progressed the story just felt so rushed and you barely get to spend enough time with the characters to feel something. It doesn’t help that while I love the art the mech and alien designs really hurt the readability of the fights, there’s just no excitement and tension there as a result of struggling to tell how Anita pulled off that crazy maneuver to split that monster in two.
Overall had potential but not enough time in the oven, would’ve enjoyed this being a longer series that explored the characters and concepts it brings up
But as things progressed the story just felt so rushed and you barely get to spend enough time with the characters to feel something. It doesn’t help that while I love the art the mech and alien designs really hurt the readability of the fights, there’s just no excitement and tension there as a result of struggling to tell how Anita pulled off that crazy maneuver to split that monster in two.
Overall had potential but not enough time in the oven, would’ve enjoyed this being a longer series that explored the characters and concepts it brings up
December 24, 2024
Mecha anime and kaiju cinema are some of the most popular media to come out of Japan. These two things have crossed paths and have made their way to the west, especially during the last decade where we had Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim and Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla. Kaiju and mecha have also crept into comics, with Godzilla appearing in recent titles in both DC and Marvel. Original works that have put their own spin on these genres have also cropped up, including Dark Horse’s Dawnrunner.
Please click here for my full review.
Please click here for my full review.
December 26, 2024
I’ll always pick up a Ram V book without thinking twice about it. Dawnrunner is not what I was expecting from Ram V, in a pleasant manner of speaking. These Savage Shores, The many deaths of Laila Starr, and Grafity’s Wall were all rooted in India which appealed, in a sense, to my own nostalgia. Dawnrunner on the other hand takes us into a future to a place we don't know, in a time where celebrity pilots in mechas fight kaijus as the world watches it live.
As a reader I found the story light and rushed. In comparison to his previous works, Dawrunner lacked depth. I wonder if this could have been a two-volume outing for Ram? In any case, I’ll give it a read again soon, especially for Evan's beautiful illustrations. Otherwise, I like that Ram is telling new stories. I can’t wait to read the next one.
As a reader I found the story light and rushed. In comparison to his previous works, Dawrunner lacked depth. I wonder if this could have been a two-volume outing for Ram? In any case, I’ll give it a read again soon, especially for Evan's beautiful illustrations. Otherwise, I like that Ram is telling new stories. I can’t wait to read the next one.
January 22, 2025
A kaiju comic book sent in a dystopian future where Earth has been invaded by an alien race with superior technology. I found the action hard to follow sometimes, but I liked the way the premise was worked out.
Read
February 6, 2025I dug the art on this book a lot except that sometimes it was hard to comprehend some of the choreography. This is a lesser Ram V script. I was excited that it was set in Central America but that plays no role in the plot. Additionally, the mech aspects don’t provide any new takes on the subgenre. It’s neo genesis evangelion without the sublime existentialism and action. I don’t know if it was cancelled but the final page gives that impression with a page of exposition wrapping up the narrative. Disappointed as I’m still hoping for a 21st century mech comic that says something new about the human condition. Only recommend for Ram V completionist or if you can get a library copy like me.
June 19, 2025
3.7 ⭐️ Awesome art but a bit too reminiscent of other mecha stories.
First of all, I did not enjoy this. It is an interesting read. However it was predictable if you read/watch a lot of mecha media, and didn’t offer much new that I haven’t seen many times before in terms of story. If you’re new to mecha media, you’ll probably enjoy this a lot.
Saying that, I adored the art style for the series. It’s emotive and beautifully done, and I really liked the stylisation of the kaiju.
All in all, no it doesn’t feel unique in terms of story but I still enjoyed it regardless.
Rep// BIPOC MC.
TWs listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
TW// death of a child, sickness and hospital scenes, injury, war, violence, military, blood, brief nudity.
First of all, I did not enjoy this. It is an interesting read. However it was predictable if you read/watch a lot of mecha media, and didn’t offer much new that I haven’t seen many times before in terms of story. If you’re new to mecha media, you’ll probably enjoy this a lot.
Saying that, I adored the art style for the series. It’s emotive and beautifully done, and I really liked the stylisation of the kaiju.
All in all, no it doesn’t feel unique in terms of story but I still enjoyed it regardless.
Rep// BIPOC MC.
TWs listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
TW// death of a child, sickness and hospital scenes, injury, war, violence, military, blood, brief nudity.
December 30, 2024
Il y a quelques années s'est ouvert un portail spatial d'où sortent des monstres effroyables. On arrive a les repousser grâce à des mecha à la technologie... éthiquement criticable.
Une réflexion intéressante sur le sujet pourtant vu et revu de la relation entre l'esprit humain et les machines, portée par des très belles illustrations.
Une réflexion intéressante sur le sujet pourtant vu et revu de la relation entre l'esprit humain et les machines, portée par des très belles illustrations.
November 1, 2024
Parfait pour les fans de mécha, une histoire sensible et dramatique au milieu d’une guerre des humains contre des monstres aliens. Une héroïne très sympa à suivre même si l’histoire ne réinvente rien question robots géants
April 6, 2025
Don’t usually like science fiction or mechs. Somehow Ram V did both in a great self contained story and got me to forget about my morning coffee. 4.5 great art, probably would’ve been a 5, but my coffee’s now cold
January 5, 2025
Beautifully drawn and interesting take on the kaiju trope. The only thing less executed were the action scenes in my opinion.
February 25, 2025
Derivative and pointless as hell. Gnarly-cool art though.
September 5, 2024
Ram V has slowly become one of favorite comic writers. He pens series that masterfully execute unique premises, but they are also always imbued with deeper meaning and human emotion. Dawnrunner is another stellar case of this. Mech and kaiju stories are common, but V makes sure not to fall into easy pitfalls. For all five issues the story remains exciting and Evan Cable’s art is superb, with clean linework expertly colored by Dave Stewart. I highly recommend this work of sequential art and hope others find its excellence too.
“In despair, we are saved not by our armors, but are driven instead by the desire to save those that we can.”
“In despair, we are saved not by our armors, but are driven instead by the desire to save those that we can.”
September 14, 2024
Gorgeous, splendid art with a story that is entirely too skippable
February 25, 2025
Ok, je comprends que le genre kaiju/mecha soit très codifié, mais il y a une nuance entre "s'inspirer de Pacific Rim" et "repomper quasiment tout dessus" (Pacific Rim qui était lui-même inspiré de trucs plus anciens comme Evangelion et n'a pas inventé grand chose, mais a eu le mérite de recopier son devoir avec intelligence). Non seulement Dawnrunner ne renouvelle pas le genre, mais son manque d'originalité rend sa lecture prévisible. Je m'attendais à une version sur le thème, pas un décalque à ce point éhonté que j'arrive à prévoir le scénario à l'avance.
Par ailleurs, je suis étonnée qu'un dessin aussi fin, talentueux et précis puisse être aussi brouillon et difficile à déchiffrer lors des scènes d'action. Les combats sont souvent visuellement incompréhensibles. Ajouter à ça le fait que tous les personnages sont des top models (sauf le nerd qui est petit, rondouillard et se fringue mal, on en est encore là niveau clichés), surtout l'héroïne, qui coche un paquet de cases au bingo du male gaze.
(ne vous inquiétez pas, on verra ses boobs dans l'avant-dernière page)
(vraiment ce genre de trucs me fatigue. On crie à la modernité quand on a des castings mixtes, et puis quand quelqu'un se retrouve à poil, c'est toujours la meuf. Cette case où on la sort nue de la baignoire biotechnologique dans laquelle elle baignait pour se connecter au mécha, me fait rouler des yeux comme si c'était des billes dans le multiballs d'un flipper, parce qu'on l'a vue y entrer, plusieurs fois au cours du récit, et pour ça elle porte une combinaison intégrale qui la couvre entière sauf le visage. Mais non, d'un coup, on la sort inconsciente et à poil, parce que)
(sexualiser votre protag, c'était pas le truc le plus fin que vous pouviez repomper sur Evangelion, les copains, Pacific Rim avait eu le bon goût de ne pas le faire)
(je fais autant de parenthèses que je veux, ok, c'est ma review)
Mais pour moi le pire défaut du comics c'est sa fin, ultra rushée au point d'en devenir peu intelligible (j'ai dû relire plusieurs fois pour comprendre le dénouement concrètement, c'est à dire ce qui s'est passé après le combat final), et surtout, surtout, cette dernière page lunaire, où le récit s'achève par un long texte explicatif.
Qu'est-ce qui a merdé dans la production ? ils n'ont pas eu droit au nombres de pages nécessaires pour achever le projet ? Cet épilogue aurait dû être au moins 4 pages de dessin, et ça se sent.
C'est assez gênant de la part d'une BD de me dire quelque chose au lieu de me le montrer.
Ceci dit, il y a des trucs que j'ai trouvé sympathiques :
- je dois admettre que le dessin est beau et généreux sur le côté grandiose et spectaculaire
- j'ai bien aimé le concept des cerveaux qui fusionnent et d'un personnage qui se retrouve dans les souvenirs d'un autre
- le concept de faire des combats kaijus/mechas une téléréalité/bloodsport, aussi, avec le côté starification des pilotes et la propagande, etc (j'aurais aimé voir ce thème davantage développé, c'était à peu près le seul truc intelligent et original)
- les kaijus et les mechas ont de la gueule
- les persos sont tous des clichés intégraux, mais la protag m'a quand même touchée
Par ailleurs, je suis étonnée qu'un dessin aussi fin, talentueux et précis puisse être aussi brouillon et difficile à déchiffrer lors des scènes d'action. Les combats sont souvent visuellement incompréhensibles. Ajouter à ça le fait que tous les personnages sont des top models (sauf le nerd qui est petit, rondouillard et se fringue mal, on en est encore là niveau clichés), surtout l'héroïne, qui coche un paquet de cases au bingo du male gaze.
(ne vous inquiétez pas, on verra ses boobs dans l'avant-dernière page)
(vraiment ce genre de trucs me fatigue. On crie à la modernité quand on a des castings mixtes, et puis quand quelqu'un se retrouve à poil, c'est toujours la meuf. Cette case où on la sort nue de la baignoire biotechnologique dans laquelle elle baignait pour se connecter au mécha, me fait rouler des yeux comme si c'était des billes dans le multiballs d'un flipper, parce qu'on l'a vue y entrer, plusieurs fois au cours du récit, et pour ça elle porte une combinaison intégrale qui la couvre entière sauf le visage. Mais non, d'un coup, on la sort inconsciente et à poil, parce que)
(sexualiser votre protag, c'était pas le truc le plus fin que vous pouviez repomper sur Evangelion, les copains, Pacific Rim avait eu le bon goût de ne pas le faire)
(je fais autant de parenthèses que je veux, ok, c'est ma review)
Mais pour moi le pire défaut du comics c'est sa fin, ultra rushée au point d'en devenir peu intelligible (j'ai dû relire plusieurs fois pour comprendre le dénouement concrètement, c'est à dire ce qui s'est passé après le combat final), et surtout, surtout, cette dernière page lunaire, où le récit s'achève par un long texte explicatif.
Qu'est-ce qui a merdé dans la production ? ils n'ont pas eu droit au nombres de pages nécessaires pour achever le projet ? Cet épilogue aurait dû être au moins 4 pages de dessin, et ça se sent.
C'est assez gênant de la part d'une BD de me dire quelque chose au lieu de me le montrer.
Ceci dit, il y a des trucs que j'ai trouvé sympathiques :
- je dois admettre que le dessin est beau et généreux sur le côté grandiose et spectaculaire
- j'ai bien aimé le concept des cerveaux qui fusionnent et d'un personnage qui se retrouve dans les souvenirs d'un autre
- le concept de faire des combats kaijus/mechas une téléréalité/bloodsport, aussi, avec le côté starification des pilotes et la propagande, etc (j'aurais aimé voir ce thème davantage développé, c'était à peu près le seul truc intelligent et original)
- les kaijus et les mechas ont de la gueule
- les persos sont tous des clichés intégraux, mais la protag m'a quand même touchée
September 19, 2024
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
This is an interesting book that feels both original and overly familiar at the same time. Though this is the full story collected into one volume, it moves very quickly, perhaps a bit too much so. The visuals are both good and bad - the scenes of people fine but everything else very hard to distinguish.Story: A portal opened over Guatemala and kaiju come through. Over a century, humanity learned to survive by walling off the area and containing the monsters so they could be destroyed with giant mecha. Anita Marr is a pilot of one of the top mecha by day and at night a mother grieving a daughter losing a battle to a mysterious alien virus that came through the portal. She is given the opportunity to pilot the latest technology: Dawnrunner. But there is something very different about this mecha and things are about to go very wrong with the neural link.
Where this feels original is that it is a humanistic story that isn't the typical mecha fighting big bad monsters. There is a lot of backstory to the main character(s) and interesting things happen. That said, the visuals feel oddly retro, almost 1980s, and I've read this story many times in science fiction books (anime like Evangelion rang very similar). Cue the typical evil corporation who cares more about publicity than people and you know you've scene it all before. So while not a terrible story, it felt rushed at times and the denouement came very quickly.
The art was very problematic to me. I had no idea what I was seeing when the fight scenes broke out and ended up having to skip pages after pages, hoping that once the dialogue started again, I'd figure out what happened. It's not that the art was murky, just that the angles defied explanation and shapes were odd and confusing. Add a very 1980s pop color scheme and any time people weren't talking, I had no idea what was going on with the story. Perhaps I'd have appreciated the panels more if I had any idea what was in them.
In all, it was a very quick read. I liked and appreciated the human elements though by the end they felt kid of trite and I still have no idea why it ended as it did. Throughout the read, I was reminded of the tagline for the sci fi movie Gattaca: There is no gene for the human spirit. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
April 20, 2025
Dawnrunner by Ram V, Dave Stewart, Evan Cagle, et al.
Dawnrunner is a visceral, high-concept plunge into the future of humanity—one where techno-evolution collides with emotional vulnerability, existential stakes, and the age-old question: what does it mean to be human in a world that’s rapidly outgrowing its soul?
Ram V and the creative team (including the atmospheric colorwork of Dave Stewart and the striking visuals by Evan Cagle) offer a narrative that is as urgent as it is haunting. The story unfolds in a world on the brink, where survival is no longer a matter of instinct but innovation—and perhaps, transformation.
At its core, Dawnrunner explores the price of progress. “Are you part of this new tomorrow? Or will you be left behind?” This question looms over the characters and the reader alike, echoing our own cultural anxieties about the future of humanity. The narrative doesn’t shy away from the cost of evolution—technological or otherwise. Instead, it charges headlong into it, as characters make devastating, intimate choices in the face of apocalyptic odds.
“This is a dangerous thing we're doing. But I'm desperate and you are reckless,” one character confesses, and that dynamic—desperation balanced by recklessness—feels emblematic of the entire book. Whether it’s the personal decision to bring a child into a chaotic world (“How do you bring a kid into a world where giant monsters fall through holes torn in the sky?”), or the collective struggle to hold onto some sliver of humanity, the tension never lets up.
And yet, amidst all the high-stakes spectacle, there’s a heartbeat of tenderness. “We save what we can,” becomes a kind of mission statement. Even more piercing is the reflection: “We turn ourselves into terrible things to save what we can. That's not so monstrous, is it?” Dawnrunner understands that the line between hero and monster often blurs when the world is falling apart.
Visually stunning and emotionally gripping, Dawnrunner is sci-fi at its most provocative—a bold, ambitious exploration of what happens when the future demands more than we’re ready to give. It’s not just a story about evolution; it’s about the things we’re willing to sacrifice to get there.
Dawnrunner is a visceral, high-concept plunge into the future of humanity—one where techno-evolution collides with emotional vulnerability, existential stakes, and the age-old question: what does it mean to be human in a world that’s rapidly outgrowing its soul?
Ram V and the creative team (including the atmospheric colorwork of Dave Stewart and the striking visuals by Evan Cagle) offer a narrative that is as urgent as it is haunting. The story unfolds in a world on the brink, where survival is no longer a matter of instinct but innovation—and perhaps, transformation.
At its core, Dawnrunner explores the price of progress. “Are you part of this new tomorrow? Or will you be left behind?” This question looms over the characters and the reader alike, echoing our own cultural anxieties about the future of humanity. The narrative doesn’t shy away from the cost of evolution—technological or otherwise. Instead, it charges headlong into it, as characters make devastating, intimate choices in the face of apocalyptic odds.
“This is a dangerous thing we're doing. But I'm desperate and you are reckless,” one character confesses, and that dynamic—desperation balanced by recklessness—feels emblematic of the entire book. Whether it’s the personal decision to bring a child into a chaotic world (“How do you bring a kid into a world where giant monsters fall through holes torn in the sky?”), or the collective struggle to hold onto some sliver of humanity, the tension never lets up.
And yet, amidst all the high-stakes spectacle, there’s a heartbeat of tenderness. “We save what we can,” becomes a kind of mission statement. Even more piercing is the reflection: “We turn ourselves into terrible things to save what we can. That's not so monstrous, is it?” Dawnrunner understands that the line between hero and monster often blurs when the world is falling apart.
Visually stunning and emotionally gripping, Dawnrunner is sci-fi at its most provocative—a bold, ambitious exploration of what happens when the future demands more than we’re ready to give. It’s not just a story about evolution; it’s about the things we’re willing to sacrifice to get there.
February 10, 2025
Ram V takes on the kaiju/mecha subgenre in this five-issue series. Dawnrunner takes the name for an "Iron King", a new prototype massive mech suit meant to take the fight against the alien Tetza (the kaiju side of this story) threat. Piloting the Dawnrunner is Anita Marr, a mech jockey of gloried status who is eager to take the fight to the next level. But as she begins to use the Dawnrunner, a psychic bond begins to blossom between pilot and machine, and she soon experiences memories of a generation past when the Tetza war first began.
Borrowing elements from popular entries in this genre like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Pacific Rim, Ram V builds on the mythos by introducing ideas bigger than the kaiju themselves. The conflict between the Iron Kings and the Tetza is publicized to a form of entertainment, establishing Anita's celebrity status in the narrative. It's commentary of a kind on the voyeuristic nature of modern conflict, though the story can't really develop this idea too much more given the brevity of the story. Dawnrunner maintains political and sociological undertones throughout, clearly meant as a deconstruction of the genre. But it's hard not to just see this as a kaiju "beat 'em up" style story, since that really is the forefront of the story. With just five issues, there really isn't much room to develop the more interesting concepts.
Evan Cagle's artwork shines with the design choices behind the Tetza and the Iron Kings. The anime influences are apparent, with the action looking gritty and bombastic. The non-kaiju fight sequences do look a little more drab and unappealing though, and there is plenty of those moments to find the overall visual experience to be quite underwhelming. Dave Stewart's colors - though usually great - provide a murkiness to Cagle's fine lines that makes some sequences difficult to decipher. The rushed script and inconsistent artwork makes Dawnrunner an uncommon miss from this star studded creative team.
Borrowing elements from popular entries in this genre like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Pacific Rim, Ram V builds on the mythos by introducing ideas bigger than the kaiju themselves. The conflict between the Iron Kings and the Tetza is publicized to a form of entertainment, establishing Anita's celebrity status in the narrative. It's commentary of a kind on the voyeuristic nature of modern conflict, though the story can't really develop this idea too much more given the brevity of the story. Dawnrunner maintains political and sociological undertones throughout, clearly meant as a deconstruction of the genre. But it's hard not to just see this as a kaiju "beat 'em up" style story, since that really is the forefront of the story. With just five issues, there really isn't much room to develop the more interesting concepts.
Evan Cagle's artwork shines with the design choices behind the Tetza and the Iron Kings. The anime influences are apparent, with the action looking gritty and bombastic. The non-kaiju fight sequences do look a little more drab and unappealing though, and there is plenty of those moments to find the overall visual experience to be quite underwhelming. Dave Stewart's colors - though usually great - provide a murkiness to Cagle's fine lines that makes some sequences difficult to decipher. The rushed script and inconsistent artwork makes Dawnrunner an uncommon miss from this star studded creative team.
March 23, 2025
Dawnrunner (2024)
Writer – Ram V.
Artist – Evan Cagle, David Stewart, Aditya Bidikar
Series – Dawnrunner #1–#5
Genre – Philosophical, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Drama
Synopsis: A portal opens up in Central America, emitting out monsters. In response, humans build Iron Kings.
The story of Dawnrunner follows a star pilot, Anita, of one of the Iron Kings (IK). On merging with the upgraded and latest version of IK, she realises she can communicate with the mind of the machine itself, that of a man who seems to be living a hundred years ago in search for his kids. They connect and build a bond between themselves making them a more dangerous unit against the monsters (Tetza).
The writing and set up is well done by Ram V. The world building is done very early on and a bit of exposition here and there patches the readers into the present dynamics.
Unfortunately, the concept is all too similar to Pacific Rim and the entire thing seems to be a more diluted version of the movie. A major issue with the story is that it rushes and zigzags itself through the story making it half baked. Characters have very less relatability or connections with each other. There was an arc in regards to translating the monsters, but that was wasted away as well. The epilogue was another rushed affair, which seemed like a cop out.
The artwork is overall good, but I just couldn’t differentiate between the monsters and the machines. The fight sequences were a blur and the finale battle was underwhelming.
Overall, it is disappointing as it doesn’t stand out unique nor deliver any emotional punches.
RJG Rating – 2/5
Goodreads – 3.72/5
Writer – Ram V.
Artist – Evan Cagle, David Stewart, Aditya Bidikar
Series – Dawnrunner #1–#5
Genre – Philosophical, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Drama
Synopsis: A portal opens up in Central America, emitting out monsters. In response, humans build Iron Kings.
The story of Dawnrunner follows a star pilot, Anita, of one of the Iron Kings (IK). On merging with the upgraded and latest version of IK, she realises she can communicate with the mind of the machine itself, that of a man who seems to be living a hundred years ago in search for his kids. They connect and build a bond between themselves making them a more dangerous unit against the monsters (Tetza).
The writing and set up is well done by Ram V. The world building is done very early on and a bit of exposition here and there patches the readers into the present dynamics.
Unfortunately, the concept is all too similar to Pacific Rim and the entire thing seems to be a more diluted version of the movie. A major issue with the story is that it rushes and zigzags itself through the story making it half baked. Characters have very less relatability or connections with each other. There was an arc in regards to translating the monsters, but that was wasted away as well. The epilogue was another rushed affair, which seemed like a cop out.
The artwork is overall good, but I just couldn’t differentiate between the monsters and the machines. The fight sequences were a blur and the finale battle was underwhelming.
Overall, it is disappointing as it doesn’t stand out unique nor deliver any emotional punches.
RJG Rating – 2/5
Goodreads – 3.72/5
January 16, 2025
Just happened to read "Dawnrunner" on the date that Pacific Rim ends on next to my dog named after a Jaeger the other day (her kill count is uncomfortable high so she earned it). I love big robots, I don't care if it is impractical to fund big robots to defend us, I at least get to see the tax dollars doing something cool. But I really got into the human element of this story so that's great!
100 years back a portal appeared in Central America and creatures (labeled Tetza) started to drop in. Conventional weapons were not working, until the creation of Iron Kings, mechs built using the bodies of the Tetza themselves. Now it is almost a sport, pilots have a scoreboard and sponsorships. But the next gen Iron King, Dawnrunner, is going to revolutionize combat. Top of the board Anita Marr takes it for the maiden voyage and finds she isn't alone in the controls.
Written by Ram V
Art by Evan Cage
Coloring by Dave Stewart and Francesco Segala
Lettering by Aditya Bidikar
Reasons to read:
-The art shows the movement of the IKs and the sudden leap in speed
-Like I said I was invested in the human side of the story as much or more than big robot throws punch (which I love)
-Designs get nutty
-Annoying character is actually legit
Cons:
-Some panels the text covers a part I wanted to see
100 years back a portal appeared in Central America and creatures (labeled Tetza) started to drop in. Conventional weapons were not working, until the creation of Iron Kings, mechs built using the bodies of the Tetza themselves. Now it is almost a sport, pilots have a scoreboard and sponsorships. But the next gen Iron King, Dawnrunner, is going to revolutionize combat. Top of the board Anita Marr takes it for the maiden voyage and finds she isn't alone in the controls.
Written by Ram V
Art by Evan Cage
Coloring by Dave Stewart and Francesco Segala
Lettering by Aditya Bidikar
Reasons to read:
-The art shows the movement of the IKs and the sudden leap in speed
-Like I said I was invested in the human side of the story as much or more than big robot throws punch (which I love)
-Designs get nutty
-Annoying character is actually legit
Cons:
-Some panels the text covers a part I wanted to see
February 12, 2025
*3.5 stars*
I grew up on GUNDAM WING so that’s where my tastes for mechs come from. A little bit of BEAST WARS too. I dug THE ONE HAND & THE SIX FINGERS so I thought Ram V doing mech suits was a cool idea and I love that he’s dabbling in every single type of genre.
Like another said in here, I don’t think overall this contributed anything new to the genre, but, I will say that I think Ram and Evan were able to make this genre feel theirs. The main location, style, and designs felt very much like their world and not like I was in something derivative imo. The art and Evan’s style were beautiful. Just some action shots were very chaotic. But I loved how Ram and Evan were able to world-build purely using visuals. I mean, it feels like there’s a real living world there and it doesn’t feel half-assed.
I liked the throughline between Anita and Ichiro. I thought what Ram was trying to say came through for the most part and it worked, it was just rushed and needed more time to breathe. They took somewhat clever shortcuts to get us there, but, I really think this is one of those comics that could’ve benefitted from at least one more issue to delve into Anita’s and Ichiro’s relationship, and the ending/epilogue.
I grew up on GUNDAM WING so that’s where my tastes for mechs come from. A little bit of BEAST WARS too. I dug THE ONE HAND & THE SIX FINGERS so I thought Ram V doing mech suits was a cool idea and I love that he’s dabbling in every single type of genre.
Like another said in here, I don’t think overall this contributed anything new to the genre, but, I will say that I think Ram and Evan were able to make this genre feel theirs. The main location, style, and designs felt very much like their world and not like I was in something derivative imo. The art and Evan’s style were beautiful. Just some action shots were very chaotic. But I loved how Ram and Evan were able to world-build purely using visuals. I mean, it feels like there’s a real living world there and it doesn’t feel half-assed.
I liked the throughline between Anita and Ichiro. I thought what Ram was trying to say came through for the most part and it worked, it was just rushed and needed more time to breathe. They took somewhat clever shortcuts to get us there, but, I really think this is one of those comics that could’ve benefitted from at least one more issue to delve into Anita’s and Ichiro’s relationship, and the ending/epilogue.
February 16, 2025
This came highly recommended, but fell pretty flat for me. It seems like there's the bones of a good story here--an invasion of the alien Tetza via a stable wormhole opening above Guatamala, and monsters flooding through--monsters that united the entire world to fight, eventually resulting in their being cordoned off behind an 1800-mile-long Wall. Nearly a hundred years later, the war has become a series of gladitorial mecha fights, with so-called Iron Kings piloted by humans going up against invidual Tetza. Our protaganist is Anita Marr, the Iron King pilot with the highest kill rate, who is testing out the next generation Iron King, a giant experimental robot named Dawnrunner.
All well and good. But the story feels disjointed and muddled, and for me, the art did this book in. I didn't care for the art at all--in several places I could barely follow what was going on, even staring at the panels and rotating them in an attempt to comprehend what was supposed to be happening. This is pretty much a dealbreaker for a graphic novel, y'know? It's too bad, because with better art this could have been a classic.
All well and good. But the story feels disjointed and muddled, and for me, the art did this book in. I didn't care for the art at all--in several places I could barely follow what was going on, even staring at the panels and rotating them in an attempt to comprehend what was supposed to be happening. This is pretty much a dealbreaker for a graphic novel, y'know? It's too bad, because with better art this could have been a classic.
February 5, 2025
I quite enjoyed this read, though it felt heavily inspired by Pacific Rim, itself heavily inspired by Evangelion and Gundam and Ultraman. I appreciate that there’s a thread of generational…not trauma so much as hope?…that maybe underscores the referentiality. The art is fantastic — definitely evokes the body horror of the Akira anime but then also has the style of some of Ram V’s other stories (though the artist here is Cagle, who definitely feels akin to Andrade but distinctly more manga and cyberpunk-influenced). I wish the core relationship between Anita and Ichiro felt a little more clear — I get that their commonality is a desire to save their children, but the ending feels like a bit of a deus ex machina that is appealing for its significance if not for its execution. Also, the idea that the tetza are communicating a desire for help and that being shunted to a final explanation that they’re trying to rapidly push humanity to some techno-evolution felt undercooked, albeit a neat idea! I don’t need a sequel. I would totally read a sequel or sidequel.
March 18, 2025
3.5 stars
Mech vs Kaiju stories aren’t a genre I’m naturally drawn to, but the occasional high point like this (or Ultramega or Armored Core VI) stand out enough to draw me in. Ram V plots a story that’s equal parts sleek towering action and contemplative exchanges between his lead pilot and the long dead human mind powering the human-machine interface in her new mech. The moments of bleed over between their minds are neat and pose as much risk as any of the monsters do. As interesting and evocative as the plotting is, it sometimes feels forced into hurried montage mode; I would have loved a few more issues to explore the same ideas and events.
Cagle’s art is fittingly alien, all thinly liquid line work and odd forms. That can sometimes leave the action scenes a bit hard to interpret functionally, but stylistically this is an incredible looking series.
“Am I remembering? Or is this forever my first experience? Is this all there is left? Do I only live in the ghostly afterimages of my own life now?”
Mech vs Kaiju stories aren’t a genre I’m naturally drawn to, but the occasional high point like this (or Ultramega or Armored Core VI) stand out enough to draw me in. Ram V plots a story that’s equal parts sleek towering action and contemplative exchanges between his lead pilot and the long dead human mind powering the human-machine interface in her new mech. The moments of bleed over between their minds are neat and pose as much risk as any of the monsters do. As interesting and evocative as the plotting is, it sometimes feels forced into hurried montage mode; I would have loved a few more issues to explore the same ideas and events.
Cagle’s art is fittingly alien, all thinly liquid line work and odd forms. That can sometimes leave the action scenes a bit hard to interpret functionally, but stylistically this is an incredible looking series.
“Am I remembering? Or is this forever my first experience? Is this all there is left? Do I only live in the ghostly afterimages of my own life now?”
May 4, 2025
Todella kauniit värit ja dynaaminen kuvitus, mutta harmillisesti tarina ei tuo juurikaan uusia koukkuja Neon Genesis Evangelionin tai Pacific Rimin jälkeen. Tässä oli paljon potentiaalia, mutta odotin tarinalta huomattavasti enemmän.
Mechat ovat tässä maailman Iron Kingejä ja päähenkilö saa uudenlaisen I-K:n käyttöönsä, Dawnrunnerin. I-K:t tappelevat repeämästä tulevia jättiläismäisiä otuksia vastaan - tilanne, joka on jatkunut jo liki sata vuotta. Tällä kertaa niitä ei tosin kutsuta kaijuiksi vaan tetzoiksi. Päähenkilöllä on sairas lapsi, hänen elimistönsä kääntyy itseään vastaan tetzojen tuoman viruksen takia.
Dawnrunnerin edistyksellinen neurolinkki on kiehtova . Loppu oli liian avoin ja filosofinen .
Mechat ovat tässä maailman Iron Kingejä ja päähenkilö saa uudenlaisen I-K:n käyttöönsä, Dawnrunnerin. I-K:t tappelevat repeämästä tulevia jättiläismäisiä otuksia vastaan - tilanne, joka on jatkunut jo liki sata vuotta. Tällä kertaa niitä ei tosin kutsuta kaijuiksi vaan tetzoiksi. Päähenkilöllä on sairas lapsi, hänen elimistönsä kääntyy itseään vastaan tetzojen tuoman viruksen takia.
Dawnrunnerin edistyksellinen neurolinkki on kiehtova . Loppu oli liian avoin ja filosofinen .
October 18, 2025
This story starts off a bit humdrum, but quickly evolves into an attempt to explore philosophical questions and (maybe) answer them. This author seems less interested in going deep or being precise in these explorations, and instead paints with broad strokes of watercolor. The issue I have with this approach is it's all a bit too thin, like listening to the "deep" discoveries of a 12 year old.
That said, the story was compelling enough to make me want more. More answers, more story, and more character building. The last page felt like a cop-out. As though the author had other projects he had to get to and had to rap this one up. A bit underwhelming...
The art, though, was spectacular. The lines and color were superb throughout. The only nitpick is the action scenes were confusing, as though the artist didn't have a good grasp on how to convey movement, at least for this subjectmatter.
I enjoyed this well enough to recommend it, especially to anyone interested in mecha/kaiju stories and great artwork.
That said, the story was compelling enough to make me want more. More answers, more story, and more character building. The last page felt like a cop-out. As though the author had other projects he had to get to and had to rap this one up. A bit underwhelming...
The art, though, was spectacular. The lines and color were superb throughout. The only nitpick is the action scenes were confusing, as though the artist didn't have a good grasp on how to convey movement, at least for this subjectmatter.
I enjoyed this well enough to recommend it, especially to anyone interested in mecha/kaiju stories and great artwork.
December 8, 2025
4.5 Stars.
Some of the action design in this is unclear, but what is very obvious are the influences. Despite the creeping feeling I’ve had for a while that there isn’t a lot that can still be interpreted from the Mech genre. It turns out you just need a little imagination.
The only thing holding this back from being a total knockout is the aforementioned action panelling (this tends to only be an issue within the first 3 issues) and the early exposition heavy writing. Which I can forgive knowing how much Ram V is able to cram into just 5 issues. Cus HOLY CRAP issues 4&5 knocked me on my ass, THIS ART IS INCREDIBLE! THE DESIGN THE INTENTIONALITY! GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!
I think really I just wanted more time… which is ironic. And a common criticism, which is fair enough. Not sure how much the creative team had control over how short it was, if a choice, it’s an odd one that’s a little indefensible, but I doubt that’s the case. With that in mind a lot IS done here within the issues. You think they could have made EVA in 5 episodes?
Some of the action design in this is unclear, but what is very obvious are the influences. Despite the creeping feeling I’ve had for a while that there isn’t a lot that can still be interpreted from the Mech genre. It turns out you just need a little imagination.
The only thing holding this back from being a total knockout is the aforementioned action panelling (this tends to only be an issue within the first 3 issues) and the early exposition heavy writing. Which I can forgive knowing how much Ram V is able to cram into just 5 issues. Cus HOLY CRAP issues 4&5 knocked me on my ass, THIS ART IS INCREDIBLE! THE DESIGN THE INTENTIONALITY! GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!
I think really I just wanted more time… which is ironic. And a common criticism, which is fair enough. Not sure how much the creative team had control over how short it was, if a choice, it’s an odd one that’s a little indefensible, but I doubt that’s the case. With that in mind a lot IS done here within the issues. You think they could have made EVA in 5 episodes?
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