==SPOILERS==

This is issue #1, Chapter 2: Nothing but Storms. This review does contain spoilers. There’s a lot of violence and strong language in the “Black Summer” series.

If you like political intrigue, particularly American politics, then you’ll want to get the 2 issues out so far to see if it’s something you’ll enjoy. Part of what makes this interesting is that the creator Warren Ellis is a Brit but he spends a lot of time in the states. I will say that so far, in the conflict presented, this is not just a one-sided presentation. It seems to be building to a full-bodied staging of this new war begun by one of the main characters, superhero John Horus.

The preview issue teased us very well with this new super team called The Seven Guns. In that issue we saw the team broken up: physically, emotionally and personally. One of them Laura Torch, is already dead. They aren’t a team anymore yet we see in issue #1 that they have direct comm links to each other through their gun enhancements so they can’t quite escape being in the Seven Guns no matter what.

The preview issue is a must because that’s where the stage is set. John Horus slaughters the US government, just about anyone you can think of that runs the federal government is dead by the end of it. He had tried to justify his attack, of course, saying it was the only way to save the country.

That brings us to issue #1 where Tom Noir is a one-legged chain-smoking drunk but still full of his gun enhancements. The Seven Guns former leader, Frank Blacksmith shows up at Tom’s door. The problem is, Frank was supposed to have been killed by rogue police. Instead, he’s working in the Intelligence community (he doesn’t say which one) and is there in Tom’s apartment with his minion Vince to kill Tom who they believe would be the easiest of the Seven Guns to take out first. Well, we can’t have our hero die in the first full issue so Tom Noir reactivates his gun enhancements and comm links and destroys the hitman. Before Frank had left Tom’s apartment he gives him one important bit of information: the bomb that killed Tom’s team mate and girlfriend Laura Torch was actually meant for him.

Tom uses his links to contact Zoe Jump, seen for the first time in this issue; and also on the comm line is John Horus who is flying around the US covered in blood and disappointed in the lack of action from the US. His point seems to be that someone could attack the country and there won’t be any real retaliation but I won’t pretend to know what’s inside Warren Ellis’ head or if that is indeed his message.

I’ve made entries for these main characters. I’m looking forward to collecting more information on other members of the Seven Guns: Kathryn Artemis, Dominic and Angel One. What we do know by the end of issue #1, is that all of the original members of The Seven Guns are insane, at least that’s what Zoe says.