Ales Kot (Author), Illustration by Various

> Review by Mike Hoffert

What is existence? Existence is a state of perpetual war. This is the philosophy at the core of Edward Zero’s story in the first volume of Ales Kot’s Zero. This action-espionage comic, on the surface, is a pulse-pounding thriller complete with brutal fistfights and flawlessly executed tactical operations that would excite fans of Bond and Bourne alike. Dig a little deeper, however, and you will find a thoughtful and complex examination of the endless and dehumanizing nature of war as operatives such as Zero are trained from childhood to be non-feeling killing machines designed to make the rich richer and keep the powerful in power. Kot, a relative newcomer to the world of comics, is not afraid to take his time and let his scripts breathe, luxuriating in silent sequences of both action and drama. He is joined by five artists, one per chapter, each of whose styles fit perfectly with the script they’re illustrating. Giving the book a sense of visual continuity is rising-star colorist Jordie Bellaire, who switches off between muted earthy tones and bright, vibrant colors