Nano #1 Review – Out Now from Dark Horse Comics

Overview

Writer: Matt Kindt & Alexandra Grant

Artist: Natasha Busto

Letterer: Sophia Hilmes

Cover Artist: Natasha Busto

Sana is exactly the kind of operative you want when everything goes sideways—which makes it especially funny that The Order sends her to Nano and asks her to do almost nothing. While her longtime partner Lukas infiltrates a heavily guarded Nanocorp research facility, Sana has to pose as his devoted wife and spend her days working undercover as a middle-school P.E. teacher.

For someone accustomed to dangerous missions, being stuck teaching eighth graders yoga is its own special kind of torture. Sana knows Lukas is putting himself at serious risk, but maintaining their cover means resisting every instinct telling her to jump in and help. But when his mission begins unraveling, Sana decides she’s spent enough time on the sidelines. Class is dismissed—and she’s ready to play offense.

Writing

So Alexandra Grant teamed up with Matt Kindt to write a comic. Let that sink in for a sec before we continue…

Okay cool. If you don’t know who Alexandra Grant is, she is a generational, multi-talented visual artist and social activist and she is wonderful! I was surprised/not surprised when I heard she was working on a comic book for Dark Horse. +1 surprised when I heard she was writing and not pulling illustration duties. +10 surprised when I read that she was teaming up with Matt Kindt on the project!

Matt Kindt. IFYKYK. Prolific writer with a flare for turning things inside out and upside down.

As these types of collaborations tend to go, it’s hard to tell where each contributor’s fingerprints are left on the story, but the collab is one that feels like a perfect match. I’m going to try to explain why this isue works so well.

Alright, here we go: Have you ever gone to a restaurant and the appetizers were fine, the meal was great and the dessert was so damned good you wanna slap your momma? That’s Nano #1 in a nutshell. Kindt and Grant start with what feels like a very generic and ‘by the numbers’ story involving some underground operatives that get the job done. Whatever that may be. No, seriously, I had no idea what the job was. I’m not even sure if Matt or Alexandra knew what the job was. Then the meal is served up and you get some meat and potatoes when you find out what the next mission is and learn more about Lukas and Sana, the two go to work and we meet some supporting cast members. Then things start to escalate and all of a sudden this thing that started out as one scoop of vanilla in a waffle cone becomes a wild-ass sundae that you’ll be thinking about until you get yourself another.

That’s the kind of writing that has staying power. When you’ve been reading comics, watching TV and movies and playing video games as much as I have, for as long as I have, being caught off guard is something akin to your great white whale. you appreciate it and you remember it until the next time you get yourself another.

Art

I’m going to preface this with a note of great import:

When it comes to comics, I’m what you call an “old head”. I grew up in the 70’s, started reading comics in the early 80’s and rode the wave to the hear and now. So I love the old styles like Ditko and Kirby AND I love Jim Lee, David Finch, Humberto Ramos, etc.

Natasho Busto has a very old school, style that feels new. It reminds me a bit of Colleen Doran, with a clean, cartoon/anime like feel to it. The art is crisp, consistent and characters are easily distinguished. Backgrounds are consistent and believable. It’s art that’s telling a story, not trying to blow your mind with each panel and I’m here for it. Super refreshing! Busto also handles colors and they compliment the line art, vivid, saturated and layered driving home that Saturday morning cartoon vibe.

Final Thoughts

This was a super fun read by the time I was finished with it. The slow burn works because the payoff was so unexpectedly great! The characters are relatable and behave like real people. It’s hard to tell who to trust and that is something I appreciate. I highly recommend Nano.

Overall Grade: 9/10

Did you grab this comic? What are your thoughts?