Reload #1
Reload #1 (2003) kicks off with the sharp, cinematic flair of a film’s opening sequence, introducing a protagonist whose life is about to fracture in unexpected ways. Written by Warren Ellis and brought to life with dynamic precision by Paul Gulacy—whose interior art is matched by his bold, detailed cover—this issue establishes a high-octane world where a formidable antagonist makes her entrance with ruthless flair, wielding advanced tech and sheer force like a force of nature.
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This is very clearly meant as a "movie on paper." The staging of the issue reads like the opening scene in a film, as we're introduced to our protagonist and told that his life was about to change in a different way, and then there's the big shocker of an opening. The antagonist for the series, or at least the physical antagonist, is also given her introduction, and she is a complete badass. Gulacy and Palmiotti have her dropping bombs, using technology to blind her opponents and running down walls with two guns like something out of The Matrix.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).