RAMGOD #1 / Created and Written by MORGAN ROSENBLUM & OWEN ROSENBLUM / Art by CAANAN WHITE / Colors by REN SPILLER / Letters, Editorial Design & Fake Ads by ISMAIL “NI HII” NIHAD / Cover art by CARLOS DATTOLI / Published by MASSIVE PUBLISHING & DARKROSE STUDIOS

In the not too distant future, Ramgod has become the sport of choice for the teaming masses of New City. An odd combination of demolition derby, MMA, and esports, Ramgod is a modern day gladiatorial match, with high stakes and big payouts. Assuming you survive the match, that is.

Ramgod means little to NCPD Beat Cop Clint Bowler. Once upon a time he was a star athlete, but an injury sidelined him. However, a video of him chasing a perpetrator leads to viral fame and an offer to join one of the hottest Ramgod teams in the league. Clint takes it, hoping the new gig might give him a second shot at his dreams and a chance of bonding with the estranged teenage son who loves Ramgod more than robotics. Unfortunately, Clint’s new teammates have their own agenda and he may have to sacrifice his morality or his celebrity status to survive.

Ramgod #1 is one of the most interesting dystopian comics I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Comparisons to Blade Runner are inevitable, given the neo-noir setting and neon-fused backgrounds. It also invites comparison to The Running Man, given its police officer protagonist and the lethal sport concept. Merged together, however, it offers something visually and spiritually unique.

The script by Morgan and Owen Rosenblum does a fine job of introducing Clint and making him into a likeable protagonist. The setting is also firmly established and the rules of this society and its technology are smoothly explained. For instance, sentient robots are allowed to work as police officers and Clint is annoyed by his overly-officious droid partner. Indeed, the only flaw to the script is that there is little effort to explain just how the game of Ramgod works.

Thankfully, the art by Caanan White and Ren Spiller looks amazing, even if the Ramgod sequences are somewhat confusing. The character designs are all memorable and the colors nice and vivid. You may have no idea what is going on during the Ramgod game taking up most of the second-half of the comic, but damned if it isn’t exciting!

In the end, Ramgod is better viewed as a dystopian drama than a sports comic. The artwork is solid, but the game at the heart of the story is more confusing as Quidditch. Despite this, the solid character work and intriguing setting make up for this one flaw.

RAMGOD #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on July 24, 2024