Arcbound Volume 1

by Tom Hardy, Scott Snyder, Frank Tieri

New York Times-bestselling author SCOTT SNYDER and comics titan FRANK TIERI join forces with acclaimed artist RYAN SMALLMAN and Oscar-nominated actor TOM HARDY to bring you a bold new sci-fi saga!

In a future where Earth has become a barren wasteland, Zynitec harnesses the unmatched energy of Kronium to assert its dominion across the stars. When Kai, a rising star Mediator in Zynitec’s army, is betrayed by his own and left for dead, everything he thinks he believes is thrown into question—and leaves him to discover what it truly means to be human in a world where the boundaries of technology and identity blur.

Collects ARCBOUND #1–#6.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels

168 pages, Hardcover

Published January 27, 2026

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Reviews

[Graeme Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arcbound Volume 1 brings together a powerful creative team led by Scott Snyder, Frank Tieri, and Tom Hardy to deliver a bold and cinematic science-fiction epic. Set in a future where Earth has become uninhabitable and corporate power dominates the stars, the story follows Kai, a skilled Mediator betrayed by the very system he serves.

Blending futuristic warfare, corporate intrigue, and questions of identity, the series explores what it means to be human in a universe shaped by technology and control. With sharp dialogue, intense action, and striking visuals by Ryan Smallman, this volume sets up a complex and morally layered sci-fi saga. It’s an ambitious opener that will appeal to fans of dystopian futures, space operas, and character-driven graphic storytelling.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art style really shines in this book and it's bumped my rating up by another star.

Aside from the art style, I have mixed feelings about this one. The setting and characters are interesting and I did enjoy reading it.

But it definitely felt like it tried to do too much for the amount of pages it had. The ending (and overall storyline in general) felt quite rushed and I didn't feel like it gave me enough time to be invested in the characters and cause.

[Travis Duke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining but not super original, I expected more from Hardy and Snyder. This is sci-fi action heist story about a soldier who questions his authority and gets double crossed. He seeks the truth and finds some allies along the way. I will say I enjoyed reading it, its fun, but a lot of it felt familiar. My one big complaint is I did not like the exaggerated art, it felt misplaced. It needed a grittier and more serious art style to lend to the story.

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very much a middle of the road kind of book. It's pretty by-the-numbers. A prominent leader in the dominant society discovers that everything he knew was a lie, and causes much havoc taking out his revised understanding of the world on the people that were previously his companions. Oh, and all the characters are jerks, too. Decent art, a little humor, but not for me.

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little better then Keanu Reeves GR but not by much.

3✨

[The_J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent concept paired with good execution on both art and story.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

While there was nothing new here and too much felt derivative, I enjoyed the read.

Story: Kai works for Zynitec - a powerful corporation which harnesses the power of Kronium to make its money. Kai has always been loyal; that is, until he starts questioning his orders and whether he is being given correct information about all the killing he is doing. When he is betrayed and left for dead by a comrade, he finds himself encased in a metallic body and in the hands of rebels. Now, with a clearer understanding of the situation, he will lead a small group to use his inside knowledge of Zynitec to destroy its evil.

So yes, a lot of blood and guts everywhere as there are a lot of scenes of slaughter of those who oppose Zynitec. The story is pretty standard and the lead character almost a cookie cutter cliche of a white hat hero. All the other characters are similarly cardboard cutouts of their archetypes: mad scientist, callow youth, Max Max mercenary, uptight general, etc. We're not exactly treading any original ground here anywhere.

I did enjoy the stylized illustration work though I really wish the artist hadn't been so obvious about the stylizations: slicked back hair for a bad guy, pouchy stomach for the out of touch general, etc. In a book with an obvious story, we really didn't need any more character cliches.

In all, the story kept me invested to the end and I didn't get bored. Sure, I've read this before and there wasn't much originality but it is a nice time-waster. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story doesn't seem particularly innovative to me, but as a first issue it's not bad. I might continue reading because the illustrations are beautiful.

La storia non mi sembra particolarmente innovativa, ma come primo numero non é male, magari continueró a leggere perché le tavole sono disegnate bene.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.