Review: The Collected Letters of Courier Z Vol 1
How about a sci-fi hardcore Postman Pat, but it's a lady with an AI cat who flies with an umbrella, you'll think it very clever (yes, I wrote this with the theme song in my head) in a smorgasbord of anthology presented art styles? The Collected Letters Of Courier Z Volume 1 will deliver regardless of weather from Nick Bryan and a collective package of artists.
Nick Bryan is a writer from London with previous comics including Death Of A Necromancer, Stone Cop and FairyFare and the Hobson & Choi novels. Jim Lavery is a comic book artist and graphic designer from Northern Ireland who has worked in all areas of media from film and TV production to online and print, with previous work including Dark Matter and Futurequake.
Alex Moore is a London-born and based illustrator, they have worked for Titan, Dark Horse and IDW, to name but a few, with previous work including Death Drop, Drag Assassin and Killtopia Nanojams. Giulia Lalli is an Italian native comic artist and illustrator with previous works including Ruination and Eight Limbs. Steve Gregson is a North West England based illustrator and comic artist. His previous works include the Toxic Crusaders video game, the Ninja Baseball Spirits comic and the creator-owned wrestling comic Ring Cats. Gustaffo Vargas is a Peruvian writer and comic book artist based in the UK best known at CBNUK for the amazing Peruvian cyberpunk comics Manu, Puno, Pilcuyo and Anticucho.
Those are the main artists featured here with most stories coloured by A.H.G. A.H.G is a cartoonist and colourist whose previous works include Broken Bear, Dark Blood and Eat My Flesh Drink My Blood. All lettering comes courtesy of DC Hopkins, the professional letterer and designer living in Indiana with previous work for the likes of Heavy Metal, Dark Horse, Image and IDW to name a few. Special mentions go to Alessandra Nocera, aka Lender Shell, for character design and a smashing cover. Her previous work includes Lye, Fire Every Day and Elias Ferguson and finally, editor Claire Napier - a freelance editor professional with collaborations on Finding Home, Miskatonic High, Incident Report and Helm Greycastle. Phew! Obligatory introductions made, we'd best get into a review.
So, let's start with the art. Things are kicked off with Jim Lavery on "Murder Haven" who uses a hatching heavy style to present a dark story. The design of Mr Sirus and the Gelding panel stands out as interesting highlights of mirth-inducing moments amongst sinister exploits. The character studies are really great throughout, and A.H.G's muted colour work adds a dirty wash to all the art that suits the tone of the story very well.
Next up it's Alex Moore on "Just Efficiency" they provide my favourite art of this collection. Their ability to showcase emotion beacons with strength here and their consummate skill throughout really elevates the story. A.H.G's colours are really strong on this one as well with a sort of watercolour effect brush strokes which is punched up further with the perfectly formulated lettering of DC Hopkins who in fact is on top form throughout.
Giulia Lalli provides a style shift next on "Soft Planet" Giulia has a style with a more realistic edge and polished finish that adds a grounded emotion to the story. The character work on offer is exceptionally strong, which is no small feat given the nature of the story. Depicting a multitude of children at play is delivered impressively, showcasing a clear technical skill. Steve Gregson appears penultimately with the biggest divergence of style on "Crims". There is a fun Anime quality to the art, and the design of the unwanted squatter pest really stands out as a fun depiction.
Finally, for art enigmatic Gustaffo Varga brings his unmistakable style to "Sharpseller". The deliveries page is a great selection of panels highlighting Gustaffo's character abilities, and the advert content panel hints at his ability to create fascinating creatures. Technically flawless art as always, and running close second favourite in this collection personally. Right, awesome art articulated, how about the story?
Nick Bryan presents an enjoyable romp of an introduction to an intergalactic postie with a checkered past and a willingness to take on a diverse range of sometimes morally questionable deliveries. This range of diversity shows Nick's great ability to build and formulate an insatiably filled universe.
The opening story "Murder Haven" really sets things up expertly, a genocide trashcan planet with a grizzly detective inhabitant, flesh-eating swamp, skull-faced villain and monks with eyebrow-raising, leg-crossing inducing rituals, the tone is truly set for spaced-out levels of kooky, wild fun. Nick presents a collection that, while handling outlandish and unique intergalactic sci-fi ideas, also feels very British. Maybe it's the uniform or the Mary Poppins-esque umbrella transport or the Postman Pat referencing AI cat, I'm not sure, probably a wonderful mix of that and so much more, but the character of Zara or Courier Z is very endearing as a result. The added "difficult" childhood portrayed in Soft Planet further cementing this lovable rogue status.
Final story, Sharpsellers' interpretation of targeted advertisement is an excellent example of a sci-fi concept that also stands out as a highlight. This is a great collection of a character to want more from. An entertaining pick & mix delivering quality sci-fi in a bonkers fashion.
For fans of sci-fi, post workers, hungry swamps, skull faced bar owners, gelding season, Postman Pat referencing morally ambiguous illegally updated efficiency obsessed AI cats, delivering with extreme prejudice, soft play life lessons, unwanted space pests, and targeted advertisement on another level in a myriad of art styles, schedule yourself a delivery of The Collected Letters Of Courier Z Volume 1.
To get your copy, you should head here, and for all things Nick here.
Jim Lavery can be found here.
Alex Moore is well worth checking out here.
Giulia Lalli can be found here.
Steve Gregson can be found here.
Gustaffo Vargas is worth finding here.
A.H.G can be discovered here.
DC Hopkins can be found here.
Lender Shell can be found here.
Claire Napier can be sought out here.
Review: 4.5/5
