Review -- FEARLESS DAWN

Fearless Dawn
Art by Steve Mannion
Written by Steve Mannion
Asylum Press
Now this is what comics should be about, pin-up babes, Nazi zombies and simple nonsense. I mean how can you go wrong with a scantily clad heroine who is out to foil an equally gorgeously drawn Nazi femme fatale?
Mix in the fact the Nazi femme is in control of a serum which turns her ordinary soldiers into hulking zombie brutes and you're simply in for a rollicking good time.
Now I will grant you that writer Steve Mannion isn't breaking any new ground here, but seriously, do we care?
Mannion stays to the tried and true in terms of a story like this, using a familiar plot line, good girl hero goes into steal dangerous serum from evil Nazis and gets caught, etc., throws in a few corny but still funny one-liners, and then turns over the appreciation of the story to his art.
Artistically, Mannion has a sort of 1960's Weird War feel going on. The work has a cartoon meets realism approach, which simply means it's appealing.
Mannion said Weird War was likely an influence.
“Years ago, I found an issue of Weird War #1 and often think somehow it invaded my subconscious,” he said. “I've had a strange desire to draw Nazi zombies ever since.”
In terms of the actual story line, Mannion said one character kind of led to the entire book
“The Helga (Nazi) character spawned this particular arc, she just seemed to materialize out of the pencil easily. I just had pin-ups I brought around to shows,” he said.
“The fan response was overwhelming for that bad girl!..I quick got to drawing this arc. The jet's real cool too. Again, just stuff I'd want to see in a comic.
“And it all sort of came together at the same time I must say.
“Might I add I would be a liar if I said I wasn't a fan of Good Girl art. Dave Stevens, Adam Hughes, Wallace Wood and Frank Cho. Those guys always inspire me to draw cool gals!”
The first issue of Fearless Dawn is too much fun not to want to see how the story line plays out. Yes you know the sexy Dawn will prevail, but you want to be along to find out just how she foils the Nazi plan.
“The next arc's flesh out our characters quite a bit more, there's flashbacks. And a finale I have to keep under wraps for now!” said Mannion.
Check it out at http://www.fearlessdawn.com/

-- CALVIN DANIELS

-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week WebXtra