Some thoughts about Scarlet #1

The revolution is just starting.

The world is in constant conflict and Scarlet is the only one who can lead her people into the future despite that even she has her own doubts.

Another book from the new Jinxworld line begins and is once again written by Brian Bendis. While Pearl didn't have a particularly amazing beginning, it worked well enough as a set-up. The thing is that Scarlet also shows many of the same traits as the already mentioned title.

Yes, this initial issue works mostly as a set-up without many revelations about what is truly happening in this universe or where the story is exactly going. Mind you, compared to Pearl, Scarlet is at least a bit more clear about its world and its own plot in a sense that you can understand its characters and setting much better. The book is also focusing on movements and how they try to defeat a system that is ruining the lives of everyone and I hope that they eventually explore this theme in a much deeper way.

This chapter sadly also has the classic "Bendis dialogue" which can be a bit bothersome but at the same time, I believe this also works better here since there's a reason for most of it. Scarlet starts to talk to herself in that style and the narration gives you a good distinction between that and her normal dialogue which is admitedly an interesting way to implement that classic Bendis' tick while at the same time revealing more about Scarlet's character and how her mind works.

Alex Maleev has a beautiful artstyle and it definitely works for this realistic and gritty setting that the story provides while also following the script perfectly.

Overall, I think this opening works better than Pearl's despite of having several of the same traits. Let's see how it goes.