Caliber #1 is one of the first comics out from publishing newcomer Radical Comics. Based on their list of upcoming releases Radical seems to be publishing genre comics with entirely gorgeous artwork and an emphasis on character-driven stories that go beyond the conventions of the medium.

To me that sounds like a pretty good foundation for a publisher, so the ultimate question is how well they did ...

The Story

Caliber #1 is written by Sam Sarkar. It tells the myth of King Arthur, but transplanted to the American West. It's an intriguing premise, and I came in expecting something like Stephen King's The Dark Tower. Instead Caliber achieves something that's uniquely its own, and which is most notable for its strong feeling of historical veracity.

The actual plot of Caliber #1 centers on a certain magical gun and the Indian shaman, Jean Michel, who is trying to find its rightful holder. This premise helps to highlight many of the central concepts of the series, showing off the ways in which Arthuriana and western have been intertwined. Indian shamans are the magicians of the Old West while sheriffs, Union soldiers, and other gunslingers are its knights. The sword Excalibur has become the gun Caliber.

As is the case with most first issues, this one is primarily setup. We meet the main characters and we start to get an inkling of the plot through Jean Michel's quest for Caliber's wielder. More importantly, we begin to see the world in which Sarkar's Caliber exists. Thus far the blend of Caliber's two genres has produced a colorful and interesting world, but it will take more issues before we see how well Sarkar is able to take advantage of the innovative world that he's created.

The Storytelling

Caliber #1 is a story of conflict and tragedy, and as a result it's got a story line that moves along in interesting ways. The comic is plotted well and at the same time feels like a good introduction to the series.

The characters are still pretty lightly fleshed out, but I look forward to learning more about the shaman Jean Michel, the young Merlin figure who was the protagonist of our first issue. That's always a good sign for an introductory issue.

The dialogue is fair, but more notable than that are a few sequences written without the need for dialogue. They come across quite well, thanks in part to the art in the comic, which I'll be returning to shortly.

If I had one complaint with the storytelling of this first issue, it's that the scene transitions are often a bit abrupt, a problem that I sometimes see with a writer who's less experienced with the comic-book medium. I had to jump back a few page a couple of times to figure out what was going on as the comic shifted from scene to scene.

After a first issue Caliber shows some real promise based on its intriguing background and the overall quality of Sarkar's writing. Thus, I've given it a "4" out of "5" for Substance. I'd like to see the rest of this story.

The Artwork

Simply, the artwork of Caliber is among the best I've ever seen in a comic book. It's by Garrie Gastonny and it's all done in a painted style that just leaps off the page. The artwork is highly realistic, full of unique-looking individuals and beautiful landscapes. I'm usually pretty ambivalent on artwork, but Gastonny's is good enough that I'd almost pick up Caliber just to stare at the pictures.

Some of the artwork gets a little muddy, notably amidst the rain and the dark in a long sequence at the end of the book; I'd have preferred for the artwork to stay crisper and brighter, so that I could see the details of Gastonny's paintings. Other than that, I have nothing but praise.

I've given Caliber a full "5" out of "5" for Style: superb.

Conclusion

One thing I haven't noted is the super low price point on Caliber #1: it's just $1 for this first issue. For that cheap, there's no reason you shouldn't pick it up yourself if you have any interest in the western, fantasy, or Arthurian genres.

Still, let me offer a summation: Caliber is a colorful story of an Arthur in the Old West. It's beautifully painted and features a neat setting. The first issue is well written, but as a setup it's still too early to tell what strengths this comic will have as it really gets going.