I feel like I have used the word potential a lot lately, especially this week, but now that I think about it, that is pretty normal when you review indie comics. Because they’re usually done by amateurs. That’s just the truth. You can’t avoid it no matter how hard you try. Well I’m going to use that word again. This book has a lot of potential. I didn’t necessarily think that it was that good overall, but there were so many interesting aspects of the book that would at least keep me reading for the first arc. I think right there, that that is a very strong argument in this book’s favor. The Crusader #1 seemed like one of those television serials. Kinda reminded me of an Angel or a Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Not in the supernatural ways that you may initially think, but the way that it was written. I’m not exactly sure if I am going to be able to articulate it completely so that it makes sense, I know I should be able to, but that’s just how I felt about it. You should give this a read. So here’s the strange synopsis, that will either win you over or send you running for the hills. This priest, Cameron, moonlights as a superhero. He runs into these thugs tormenting a little girl and he intervenes. Once the girl has been removed from harm, Cameron discovers that she has followed him home. And that creates all sorts of problems for this masked man of God.

Now before you lose interest completely, if you’re not a religious person at all, this story is not necessarily religiously driven. I don’t know how much that aspect will eventually take a role in the series as it goes on, but I’m pretty sure that it will be peppered in here and there. There is actually a scene that takes place during a Sunday service.

Now the script is actually pretty decent. I especially liked the narrative scenes. But I’ve always kind of been a sucker for that stuff. That’s why I stated earlier that the series has potential. I think that if they would focus on that and kick it up a notch, they might really have something here. I think that a book like this could be really cool if they just started throwing in a bunch of darkly narrated fight scenes. It would kinda be a little contrast to the whole religious aspect of it. A religious man kicking butt so that others don’t have to? That sounds cool to me. But I am definitely not going to tell them how to write comics.

The art was probably the most fascinating thing about it. I especially liked how it grew on me, when I was thinking that it wouldn’t. It’s very simple, but detailed at the same time. But it also lacks detail, which is kinda cool too. I wouldn’t mind seeing a little more of this guy’s work. Plus, the b/w definitely added to style.

I’ll be surprised if these guys don’t eventually do something after this, as I said, the potential is there, but they just need to find their one great idea. And it might even be an idea that creates the necessary momentum for this particular story. I guess we’ll see.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Philip Nolte Artist: Michael Bushman Publisher: Inkspot Comics Price: $2.99 Facebook Page