Eliot Rahal has a new comic out today. We’ve been following his career as a writer, and “Hot Lunch Special” from Aftershock Comics doesn’t disappoint. At this point if you follow comics you’ve heard of Rahal. He co-wrote “Paybacks” with Donny Cates. He currently writes “Quantum and Woody” for Valiant. Rahal’s “Cult Classic” from Vault Comics is one of our favorite new comics of the year. He is a writer who has been growing with each new title. What we see in Rahal right now is a writer who has found his voice. He is striving to tell complex and significant stories in a medium that is too often dominated with superheroes and the accompanying tropes, and he is succeeding. “Hot Lunch Special” is a crime noir set in the upper Midwest. The opening scene is in Sioux Falls, SD and then the story shifts to Minnesota, Las Vegas and Europe. It is a multi-generational story and shifts from present day to flashback. There are a lot of characters interacting here, and those with short attention spans might feel intimidated, but trust us, this is worth reading. Rahal threw a lot of puzzle pieces on the table in this first issue but already the pieces are sliding together and promise to reveal a bigger picture. Jorge Fornes provides the art for this series, and his style fits well. His pages are dark and the shadowy scenes provide the “Noir” feel the reader wants and expects, and yet he presents a level of realism that allows us to feel immersed in this world. His best panels are elongated and often at extreme vantage points adding to the overall brooding tone of the book. In a week dominated by “Fantastic” superhero releases, this is a refreshing change of pace.

Thoroughly enjoyed this issue! Girner pulls from the tropes of Samurai Mythology and also Japanese history making this an engaging narrative with surprising depth. Biven's art is such a superb fit for this book: dark, moody and evocative. I'm eagerly awaiting the rest of this series!