I finally got my hands on a copy of today’s new release, the one I’ve been most excited for, and the best cover out of all the new issues today, Heart #1 from Blair Butler, Kevin Mellon and Image Comics!

Heart follows up and coming MMA fighter Oren “Rooster” Redmond through every part of his life.  From the cage, to backstage, to his life away from the crowd.  Every moment of it is a struggle.  But not a struggle to read.  I walked in the door, read the book cover to cover before I had a chance to sit down.  Then I got myself a soda and read it all over again.  Here is a brand new writer, a new character, a new title, and I tore into it like this was the death of Superman or the reveal of the Thunderbolts.

The book starts in the cage as Oren faces off against Mike “The Hooligan” Murphy.  Mike is a little older and has had a few more fights than Oren.  Oren is undefeated (more on that in a few) but also not very experienced.  On paper everything seems fair and either man can win.  Let me go back for a minute to “on paper”.  Yes, its on paper (or your tablet) but damn if this fight doesn’t read like I am watching a live fight either in person or on pay per view.  There are stats, a time clock, multiple camera angles, and when the fight is all over I’m so exhausted a bystander would think I had just been in a fight myself.  But there wasn’t a fight.  Not even on a screen.  There was pen and ink and a great combination from the writer and artist that absorbed me into this world.  It may as well be A-Ha’s “Take on Me” video over here at Casa Hellions, because I dove headfirst into the arena drawn by Kevin Mellon.  Lets not forget crank! doing the lettering.  Whether its stats, screams or whispers there is no confusion over how each and every character feels in the moment.  Its tough to tell tone and inflection on the printed page, but damn if crank! doesn’t just knock me over.  Good thing I kept my knees and a hand on the mat, or I would have taken a kick to the head too.

Oren isn’t perfect by any means.  But this story is.  When was the last time you saw a dramatic full page splash panel of an attack, only to turn the page and see that it didn’t work out?!  Oh, you know, never!  Thor doesn’t get drawn throwing Mjolnir only for you to turn the page and see it missed its target and Thor is knocked on his ass.  Heart isn’t about perfect super heroes, its about a real man throwing his real self out there, flaws and failures and all.

The fight takes place in 2009 and we flashback to 2007 when Oren is just another drone in a cubicle.  Same crappy job day in and day out.  Its so mindless and boring Wesley Gibson could be working next to him, you know before joining the Fraternity.  Oren goes to see his brother,  Jimmy, fight in a cage and that’s all it takes to change his life.  Its one thing to see a fight on TV, its different to be there in person, and a whole new level to know someone doing it.  Someone, like a brother, who you have seen do some of the dumbest most uncoordinated actions ever performed by a human being.  If your brother can do something, chances are you can too.  Oren hems and haws until finally taking the chance and walking into the gym.

Blair and Kevin do a great job showing that being a fighter is not a matter of climbing into a cage and throwing some punches.  There is work, skill, talent, and most of all paying your dues.  You hear all about these camps and teams, well guess what, no one is going to be your friend until you prove you want to be there.  Then you have to prove you deserve to be there.  Its going to be a long road for Oren, and this issue ends with him stepping in to the ring for his first fight.

Check that, his first amateur fight.  Yeah, even though we see The Rooster’s stats at the start of the comic, this amateur fight wouldn’t count among them.  Meaning that we still have a sense of mystery.  Does Oren win?  Does he lose so badly he takes time off?  And those aren’t even the biggest questions.

What are the big questions you ask?  One, where is Oren’s brother.  He “was” so great, and Oren wins his match at the beginning of the book then celebrates with… no one.  Is his brother working for a bigger promotion, is he dead, is there a falling out?  Who knows but I’ll be buying the next 3 issues of this 4 issue arc the day they come out so I can get some answers.

Oh, but most of all.  Where can I get a Monster MMA shirt?