Given how much I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read from British indie publisher Time Bomb Comics so far, I’m not quite sure why it took me so long to get around to checking out their anthology comic, Brawler.

After all, I’ve been an avid reader of their current, ongoing, bi-monthly comic Quantum from day one, even being mentioned in its pages a few times (thanks, Time Bomb!).

In any case, visiting the Time Bomb Comics stand once again at this year’s Portsmouth Comic Con provided me with an excellent opportunity to say hello and pick up more comics; so, belatedly, I nabbed myself the first issue of Brawler!

Of course, it didn’t disappoint; I knew it wouldn’t. Let’s take a look at what you’ll find within its pages, with the concept of the all-action, yet thoughtfully created, strips having been inspired by an early 80s, classic anthology comic named Warrior.

First up is post-Ragnarok, Norse sci-fi saga 28AR, which is the only strip in Brawler #1 that isn’t a complete story. The story, by Richmond Clements, is incredibly intriguing, with a unique setting and phenomenal art by the late (and much missed) Nigel Dobbyn.

Sadly, due to Nigel Dobbyn’s untimely passing, the story doesn’t continue past this first chapter. It remains an interesting curio, and it’s a shame, though understandable, that it didn’t get the chance to progress.

Now, I had absolutely no idea that Steve Tanner’s alt-Victoriana strip Major Rakhana, who I’m very familiar with thanks to her recurring appearances in Quantum, began elsewhere. So it was great to see her here, complete with all of the blackly comic, surprisingly violent and slightly campy fun that her stories are known for.

Pete Woods creates some very vivid and, in a few scenes, gory art that’s characteristic for the Major’s adventures; it’s brilliant, and I’m really glad that her stories have managed to find a regular slot in Quantum.

Up next is Katie Cunningham’s Space Banshee Exorcist, which tells a spooky, supernatural sci-fi tale with an undercurrent of political commentary. Grace Toscano’s ethereal, sketchy art suits the tone and subject matter perfectly.

Jason Cobley and James Gray’s Amnesia Agents sees the titular duo fighting to restore the memories of a forgotten soldier’s life, after he’s erased from history by a dastardly creature.

This was a story that I found incredibly poignant. It’s a great melding of history with supernatural elements that feels as if it’s genuinely got something to say; much like most of the other strips in Brawler’s first issue, it definitely does give the reader some surprisingly deep and thought-provoking subject matter, despite occurring over just a handful of pages.

The same can be said of Fortune, which sees teenage space pirates taking a principled stand against injustice, written by Fraser Campbell, with art by James Corcoran.

Frankenstein, Texas sees Mary Shelley’s creature in the Old West, in an atmospheric horror tale that draws not just on Shelley’s classic, but also on Native American folklore. The evocative, black and white artwork by David Hitchcock is a great fit for Dan Whitehead’s Weird West script.

The final strip starts off feeling like a Kung Fu Panda pastiche before going somewhere unexpected. Jason Cobley writes Keiko Panda, with Mitz providing the clean, cartoony art.

Though that’s the last of the seven comic strips, a prose story closes out this issue, and its subject matter is the World War 2/dinosaur battle from the cover. I won’t say anything more, suffice to say that it’s a fun romp, and that you might want to take a closer look at who, or what, is riding the dinosaur. Writer Richmond A Clements only has a page to tell this story, but it’s a good one! Of course, you can already see just how cool Staz Johnson’s art is for this one!

So there you have it; Brawler is, unsurprisingly given the hit rate I’ve found with Time Bomb’s comics, an absolute blast from beginning to end. There’s no weak link here, no story that isn’t worth reading, and it’s beautifully produced in every way, from the writing to the art to the physical pages of the comic itself; it has the usual high production values and quality that you can always rely on with Time Bomb Comics.

I can highly recommend checking out Brawler #1; you can pick it up in digital or print form directly from Time Bomb Comics here.

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