 |
A police officer named Travis Holiday is heading home to his family when a truck driving aggressively sideswipes his vehicle over a cliff. Miraculously, Travis survives but is somewhere other than where he expected to be. A mysterious man says that God is calling him to travel to a strange city named Carnage Coast, where he is expected to fight on God's behalf in what appears to be the final battle between God and Lucifer. In this strange city that exists seemingly between worlds, the citizens are no strangers to corruption and crime, though there are some who still keep their faith and simply try their best to make life better. In his quest, Travis has been bestowed with the powers of the Iron Warrior, a superhero-like figure who has strange powers and superhuman strengths so long as he keeps steadfast in his faith in the Lord and his mission to protect God’s creation from evil influences.
On the other side of the conflict is a woman named Lynda Lynch. After being arrested after her involvement in a drunken bar fight, Lynda ends up being caught up in a prostitution ring. Robbed of her dignity and unable to escape, she suffers at the hands of Lazarus, her “employer.” Then, one night, a strange man named Luc visits her and grants her powers of her own for the cost of her soul. Now known as Sensation, Lynda uses her new strength to quickly seize control of the city, setting up an inevitable showdown between herself and the mysterious Iron Warrior. Hoping that he can complete his mission and find a way back home to his family, Travis’ mission brings him closer to Lynda, setting up a final showdown that will have implications stretching far beyond the strange borders of Carnage Coast.
Although the narrative is steeped in Christianity and faith, readers should not go into this story expecting something completely defanged of action and shocking moments. The characters and story perfectly blend superhero fiction and mythology with something rooted in reality while still keeping its protagonist true to a set of attainable morals. The fight scenes are electric and kinetic, while the characters are deep and layered. The story manages to adequately build its world in this first volume while still keeping readers engaged as it reaches its exciting climax. This position allows the book to appeal to readers regardless of their background in a way that will feel familiar to them while opening up avenues of interest and enthusiasm from the other side of the story’s elements. Meanwhile, readers who sit comfortably at the center of this diagram will feel that the origin story of the Iron Warrior checks all of their boxes.
Those acquainted with the genre’s tropes will generally know what to expect from the narrative. However, the author is also not afraid to subvert expectations and twist the plot to offer surprises and thrills. At its core, this is a story about heroism and bravery in times when such things are in short supply. It can stand on its own merits as entertainment or also provide inspiration to its audience to look for similar opportunities in their own lives, even if they don’t have access to the literal version of the Iron Warrior’s powers. The subject matter is definitely challenging enough to exclude younger readers, but the grittier elements of the story keep this from being something that feels too far removed from reality to relate to.