Writer: Ram V
Artist: Evan Cagle
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Publication Date: December 2024
A century ago, a portal opened up over Central America. It brought with it the alien Tetza, forever changing the world. Now, the world piles its resources to build Iron Kings, or giant mecha who battle the Tetza for humanity’s survival. Anita Marr is one of humanity’s best pilots, and is given the task of testing a prototype that could ensure humanity’s survival. How will Anita balance saving the world with saving her sickly child? Will she lose who she is as she connects with the ghosts of those long gone, fighting for the same goal as her?
This is just scratching the surface of Dawnrunner, which has recently been collected in a new hardcover edition. It may sound like a predictable mecha story, but it is far from it. One of the newest projects from superstar writer Ram V — who teams up here with the impeccable artist Evan Cagle — Dawnrunner will blow your mind, even if you’re a mecha genre veteran like myself.
Mecha is a genre that most science fiction fans will not be unfamilar with, with hundreds of comics, shows and films set in the often apocalyptic subgenre. While initially coming across as similar to Pacific Rim or Neon Genesis Evangelion, Dawnrunner has a completely different, fresh focus that it applies to the mecha genre. One thing that differentiates it is the unique, Central American setting, which is absolutely refreshing and done incredibly well.
It’s uncommon to see Mecha stories set outside Japan or The United States, so setting one in the Mesoamerican region is a genius move that gives Dawnrunner a unique identity. The other differentiating factor is the story’s explicit focus on parenthood; I would go as far as to say it’s the main guiding theme of the comic. Dawnrunner explores the love of a parent for their child, how far a parent will go to protect their child, and how a parent fights for what they care for in a time of apocalyptic stakes. That’s not to say you have to be a parent to appreciate it, far from it, but the story explicitly tackles those themes and looks into what the fears and anxieties that come with wanting to keep your child safe.
One of the biggest strengths of the series though is that Anita’s personality isn’t solely about her role as a mother — no, her personality is actually made clear well before it’s apparent that she’s a parent. She’s a great protagonist, multifaceted and sympathetic. I particularly found her search for identity compelling, as in times of great stress it’s easy to lose track of who you really are, and you have to figure that out again for yourself.
In a sense, Dawnrunner slowly reveals its real premise over the course of the first issue. It’s a story that spans generations, with two very distinct points of view, while still mainly focusing on Anita Marr’s battle for survival and attempts to aid her sickly daughter. The worldbuilding is incredibly fleshed out in this series, with the two time periods helping to create a sense of epic scale and depth by building on top of each other. Not every mystery is solved, but the answers to most are gradually unfurled across the series, leaving you on the edge of your toes as you read and grasp for what’s next.
It’s a very personal story, but the side cast is still fleshed out, and they feel like believable characters. It feels like a monumental amount of effort and thought was put into every single aspect of this comic, and it pays off massively because it ends up being one of the most fully well-realized science fiction comics of the last decade. The Tetza are fascinating, terrifying antagonists, and they contrast well with the intimidating and awesome Iron Kings. Dawnrunner itself is one of the coolest mecha put to the pages of a comic, and The Prime makes for a brilliant antagonistic force against it.
Ram V. has absolutely exploded into the industry in recent years, delivering incredible book after incredible book, but this stands out as one of his best writing efforts. The entire series relies on tough balancing acts; balancing huge scale with intimate personal drama, balancing obtuse science fiction lore with character building, all while building a suspenseful, intriguing plot that explodes as it builds. Yet, the script pulls it off and makes it look nearly effortless. There isn’t so much as a stumble. Every word of his script feels deliberate, thought out, and elaborated upon by the rest of the comic, making the book feel like something that commands your attention and your respect, especially thanks to Aditya Bidikar‘s exceptional lettering work. All this is to say that it’s incredible what the creators have done here — crafting a deeply personal, emotional unique story in a genre overstuffed with stories examining mecha in every way you could imagine.
I am not exaggerating when I say that Evan Cagle’s artwork is as damn close to perfect as comics can get. He has an incredible grasp on page structure and layout, drawing with beautiful and explosive detail and scale whilst also focusing on the gentle and intimate moments that make a book like this work all the better. Beautifully enhanced by Dave Stewart‘s colors, Cagle makes sure every page sticks in your mind as some of the most beautiful artwork you’ve seen. Whether it’s empty, desolate landscapes or moments of mecha on kaiju violence, he puts in his all, and it really pushes the series that much more into the next level. Many of the double page spreads in this book could work as posters or wallpapers, if not all of them. His artwork shines on the oversized hardcover collected edition, which really gives it the room it needs to be seen on the scale it demands. He works perfectly in sync with Ram V’s script, and it’s no wonder the two have continued to collaborate.
Overall, Dawnrunner is a brilliant read. One of the best comics of 2024, it matches epic scale and scope with genuine heart and emotion to create a rich and memorable story that stands out in a crowded subgenre. It denies your expectations and tries to make you think in new, deep ways. With absolutely stellar work from all the creatives involved, including near perfect artwork from Evan Cagle and some of the best writing of Ram V’s career so far, Dawnrunner is not a comic to skip out on. It’s big, exciting, and emotional — a grand showcase of just how awesome comics can be at their best.
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