What begins as an innocent story set years after a big war on a quiet farm soon turns into a journey to a strange world where not everything is as it seems.
The Good
It's always great to find a story that's just a little bit different. The story of RUST is an interesting one as it begins forty-eight years ago during a war between humans and giant mechanical robots. The setting is in the past yet the bits of advanced technology gives us a new world where anything is possible. Shifting to the present, our main character is a simple farmer. Yet somehow the battle between humans (via a jet pack wearing fellow named Jet) and two-story robot enter his life.
The art has a simple feel to it but not 'simple' in a lack of detail. I love it when an artist has a clearly distinct art style and you can see them embrace and run with it. The use of sepia tone instead of full color adds to the simple look but there are hidden details that really pop out, especially when Jet is flying at high speeds.
Also, let it be noted this is a 192-paged hardcover. It's a complete story. Individual comic issues are great but there is something brilliant about being able to read a brand new self-contained story in one sitting. Actually, it is a self-contained story but this is volume one. That means, there is more to come. And that's a great thing.
The Bad
The farmer is almost too eager to join in the battle against the giant robot. It doesn't seem like something he's familiar with yet when Jet tells him his part in a plan to try to take it out, he's more than willing to put his life at risk. For a plain old farmer, he has a lot of guts and apparently a lot of luck since he doesn't get himself killed taking such a big risk.
How long until Volume 2?
The Verdict
If you've seen past releases from Archaia, you know there is some pride and care put into their hardcover books. Rust is a great story with great visuals. Every once in a while you come across a hidden gem and I feel that's what this is. Unfortunately I hadn't heard of this release before it came out but what a pleasant surprise it was. Getting a chance to read 'something different' is always a treat. If you're looking for a fun action-packed story contained in a nice hardcover, be sure to pick this up. Rust will take you to a brand new world and part of the fun will be seeing the secrets unfold before your eyes.
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