Dispatched #1 – Like Riding A Bike

In Dispatched, we are introduced to ex-black ops agent Morgan Power. Morgan finds himself unsatisfied, estranged from his family, living under a government-issued alias. In his new life, he finds himself a delivery driver for a global courier company, a job that stands in stark contrast to his previous life. Struggling to find meaning in his new life, everything changes for Morgan when a routine stop puts him in the crosshairs of a domestic terrorist takedown.

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Creative Team

Writer: B. Clay Moore
Artist: Daniel Gete
Letterer: Lee Loughridge

Writing

B. Clay Moore crafted a really compelling first issue. Morgan Power is incredibly interesting as a character. The character as a whole speaks to something (albeit a ramped-up version) that a lot of service members struggle with, which is reintroduction to civilian life after retirement. For Morgan, he was black ops, so it’s even more severe as he has gone from life-threatening missions to a world in which he delivers packages. Still Power feels like an interesting character.

Moore builds the narrative slowly, showing Power not only struggling with his life but also struggling to open up about his time in the service. In part because he really can’t, and the other part being he seems not to be proud of everything he’s done. The story does flow flawlessly however, once Power gets a chance to use his skills again in the most unexpected circumstance. In using this method, Moore has built a story that contains a certain psychological aspect to it.

Art

Daniel Gete and Lee Loughridge come together to really bring this world to life. Gete’s art and colors are spectacular. The art leans towards an intentionally gritty and distorted vibe that helps set the mood and look of the story. Gete utilizes a variety of line thicknesses to bring emphasis to the panels. Each setting the characters finds themselves in during Dispatched #1 feels lived in rather than a static background.

Loughridge brings the emotion of the story through thoughtful lettering. It’s actually Loughridge’s lettering that helps reinforce just how calm under pressure Morgan Power is compared to the rest of the individuals in the story when things start to go sideways. This combines with a beautiful coloring job from Gete that combines to create a story that is narratively and visually satisfying.

Final Thoughts

This is another great first issue from Ignition Press. The story is interesting. The concept is fresh. The art is stunning. Everything about Dispatched #1 feels like the team of Moore, Gete, and Loughridge are setting up for an incredible story that will play out over the next few issues.

Overall Grade: 10 / 10

What did you think of this debut? Let me know in the comments