• The Least We Can Do #1 Cover
    The Least We Can Do #1
    Writer:
    Iolanda Zanfardino
    Artist:
    Elisa Romboli
    Cover Artist:
    Elisa Romboli
    Publisher:
    Image Comics
    Price:
    3.99
    Release Date:
    2022-09-14

Throughout history, men in power have always abused the natural world, hoarding and exploiting resources to meet their self-serving needs. Often, the people have risen against such atrocities to take back their rightful due through rebellion. From Image Comics comes the spark of a revolution in a dystopian version of the United Kingdom ruled with an iron fist and under martial law. Creators of A Thing Called Truth, writer Iolanda Zanfardino and artist Elisa Romboli reunite in The Least We Can Do #1, which tells the story of an idealistic girl hellbent on finding her own righteous path among the cacophony of military dictatorship and warring dissent while hiding her true past from everyone.

The Least We Can Do #1 presents a world where a magical substance called the Medium has altered the course of history and, as a result, created a division in society. The Medium bestows powers upon its users, and instead of investigating it, the government has banned it out of fear. Even the rebels use the element for their own purpose, keeping the prying eyes of the kingdom away from their corner of paradise. Uriel wants to break the current impasse and show the world the beneficial uses of Medium. To that end, she somehow gains an audience with the rebels who are the most suited for her goals.

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The Least We Can Do #1 Uriel steals a medium

The Least We Can Do #1 opens with a poetic introduction that makes an obvious observation of the nature of human behavior and pits it against the greater good. Once the calm passes over, the story plunges into a whirlwind of events that moves as quickly as its sprightly protagonist. Writer Iolanda Zanfardino cleverly places the reader in the shoes of the inquisitive Uriel as she makes the most out of any situation, injecting the narrative with infectious energy. The book drips with medieval adventure, sans any imminent danger imposed upon the characters, who slowly show their true colors. Despite the hectic pace, the debut issue makes slow progress, focusing instead on exposition and flashbacks to establish the declining state of the world and show how Uriel and her ideals fit into it.

The world of The Least We Can Do #1 is unique, painting a fantasy society with touches of proto-futuristic elements. However, from the drawings in Uriel's notebook and the presence of motifs like the double-decker bus as relics of the past, it becomes apparent that it is a post-apocalyptic world rebuilt on a blend of technologies. It is impressive how effectively artist Elisa Romboli uses the panels to her advantage, leaving behind visual clues while splashing wild dashes of colors and motion lines, all for the wild amusement of the readers. Whether it is the protagonist who sets the pace or the artwork is debatable, but one thing is certain -- the colorful, labyrinthine lanes and the spacious underground halls are a sight to behold.

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The Least We Can Do #1 Uriel joins the rebels

The Least We Can Do #1 is a breath of fresh air in a stuffed genre. The story moves back and forth between the past and present while keeping the reader's attention firmly affixed to the protagonist's many shenanigans. Zanfardino and Romboli know which strings to pull at which juncture, giving each moment its specific segment in the book. It is in the final few pages that Uriel presents the audience with a different side to her, instantly showing signs of a diamond in the rough. The Least We Can Do #1 is much bigger than the Medium, which is nothing but a plot device; instead, it wants to expose the wishes from the deepest corner of one's heart.