Leaving Megalopolis: Surviving Megalopolis #1

The only real flaw to Surviving Megalopolis so far is a minor lack of accessibility.While new readers can start with this book and have the story so far explained to them, those who have read the whole of Leaving Megalopolisfirst will get so much more out of this issue. It's not enough to negate my full recommendation of this book to all fans of dystopia horror and twisted superhero stories but I would strongly advise reading the original Leaving Megalopolis first. Read Full Review

While most first issues tend to focus too much on the worldbuilding and not enough on the plot, Surviving Megalopolis does a fine job of balancing both. Even if you haven't read the first part, you can pick this up and know exactly where this is, who these people are, what they want, and what stands in the way. It's damn good storytelling that immediately engages you and sweeps you along for a helluva ride. Read Full Review

When I heard Simone and Calafiore were collaborating again I was thrilled. When I heard that it was a sequel to Leaving Megalopolis I was even more excited. This new series has more of an apocalyptic feel to it and is poised to reveal even more supervillain conflict than the first novel. With a blend of original and exciting new characters, Surviving Megalopolis is a solid start to the new story arc. Read Full Review

The story picks up from where the last left off. Where Megalopolis was a cesspit of drowning hope as corrupted heroes tore everything and everyone apart and civilians gathered to sacrifice one another to the heroes, our survivors are the beaming light of hope that there is still goodness in mankind and in every letter of the word “hero”. This comic works very well as an anti-thesis to the traditional comic book hero and is definitely a must read. Read Full Review

Overall then,while this is undoubtedly a set-up issue first and foremost, Simone and Calafiore have introduced some truly intriguing plot threads here, and while it may not quite have the same attention-grabbing punch of the previous series at least not yet, anyway " theres still something utterly compelling about the city of Megalopolis. One thing's for sure, you can count me in for as long as theykeep making books set in thisutterly gripping world. Read Full Review

This is my first visit to Megalopolis, and even though there is a reputation for the placebeing hard to leave, it is definitely not the fact, that the bridge is out that will keep me within this cities limits. Read Full Review

A flashback sequence telegraphs the identity of a character that Simone saves for the cliffhanger, so the big reveal is anything but and the issue doesn't quite end with the bang that was intended. Still, it doesn't really harm the issue any way, because both creators establish a compelling story long before the issue is over, and each of the story threads all carry enough weight to stand up on their own, making for a strongly compiled introductory issue. "Leaving Megalopolis: Surviving Megalopolis" #1 is worthwhile take on the superheroes-gone-bad motif, and Simone and Calafiore sell the idea both to new readers and those anxious for this sequel. Read Full Review

Honestly, thought, I kind of like it that way. The sheer oddness of the situation kept me on my toes and made it so that the story wasn't obvious or predictable. I'd recommend this comic to anyone who enjoys subverted superhero stories and/or post-apocalyptic survival stories. Read Full Review

Simone appears to be kicking off the year by charting two very distinctive and equally welcome paths into the darkest impulses of humanity, but I cant help but want something a bit fluffier from her down the line, like a few issues of My Little Pony. I bet shed be great at Applejack. Read Full Review

A solid start, though one that takes a bit of work to really connect with. Read Full Review

Rarely does a superhero comic come out with such a structurally strong showing in its first issue. Obviously, Leaving Megalopolis has the benefit of a full length graphic novel preceeding it, but what's here is good, and it functions coherently for readers new to the series. Thatmight have been deliberate, givenDark Horse's role in this. They've directly thrown their money behind thisproject, with Simone and Calafiore eschewing the necessity of Kickstarter. It's a really great meta-arc of its own: A team publicly funds a great new series, craftit exactly how they want to, and the publishers come calling. That's a prettyexciting thing to acknowledge, consideringthemodern economics of creator-owned properties. I don't know if we can come to any conclusions yet, but for now, I'm justenjoying the ride back into the city. Read Full Review

To anyone who is looking for something different from your average run-of-the-mill superhero story, then I highly recommend this book. Would you like to see more stories like this, where superheroes turn on their citizens? Or do you prefer your heroes fighting bad guys and saving the day? I suggest going back to read LEAVING MEGALOPOLIS and then read this to get the full story. Other than that, tell us what you think in the comments below! Read Full Review

The whole “evil superhero” concept is a really interesting one. Simone is creating a lot of really versatile characters, and I can’t wait to see how she uses them. Read Full Review

Surviving Megalopolis is just plain good. The story moves at a perfect pace to keep the frantic tone thriving and the writing constantly keeps readers engaged with the characters. Dialogue between characters feel like real conversations, with each person having their own motive and voice. The art is colorful, more so than you might expect for such a grim story, but that works to heighten the effects even more. Read Full Review

Over all, Gail Simone's story of one woman's life of struggle against those in power is a valid contribution to the "ultra-violent heroes" subgenre of the modern superhero comic book, even if her potty-mouthed psychopaths dull the sheer horror of this issue's predecessor through misplaced humor. Visually, J. Calafiore's nuanced and detailed linework and Jason Wright's equally effective coloring brings Simone's world to disturbing life. Leaving Megalopolis: Surviving Megalopolis #1 sure ain't pretty, but it is a worthwhile read. Read Full Review

Reading Leaving Megalopolis: Surviving Megalopolis feels like I'm constantly trying to catch up. It's entertaining enough, but leaves me wanting the script to meet me halfway. Read Full Review

BrightestDaycare.com

Jan 20, 2016

I love Gail Simone. I say that so often maybe I should change that to be the name of this podcast. But really- I do. I loved this book's previous installment, Leaving Megalopolis was released as a hardcover collected edition after a successful Kickstarter campaign (one of many kickstarters I have missed out on) but I was able to get my hands on the Dark Horse version. I loved the story, and I liked seeing Gail do what she does best- working in a big sandbox with damaged and human characters, while incorporating crazy capes and cloaks action with real human interactions. This issue, and the short story that is available for free on comixology "Finding Megalopolis" really help to deepen the mythology of Megalopolis, and to really shed some l ight on the future of this once great city that was plunged into some very Dark Knight Rises-esque territory. Calafiore's artwork is great, and Gail writes the book very well, but I would have liked a bit more to connect this story to the first volume. It feels a bit more disconnected than I would have thought, not that it's bad to set itself apart a bit from it's predecessor. The short story was a a different story, giving a bit of background into our Flash-analogue character, Fleet and his time before the events of Leaving Megalopolis, and then his time after he had embraced his rage and took it out on the people who made his life miserable. I thought that story could have made a good backup for this book (maybe actually combined with the print edition- or at least mentioned in the physical book) because I didn't actually know about the extra story until Gail tweeted about it, and I got confused because she said "Finding Megalopolis" instead of "Surviving Megalopolis" so I had to do some research. This is a book worth looking into. The collected edition is really great, and this book is a solid start to the Leaving Megalopolis sequel. more