Killian’s Tide is that classic origin issue, in this case a series, which explains the villain’s tragic beginnings.  The series looks at Killian’s roots and how his hatred towards the humans came to be, and just how it was that Killian was set upon the road he travels.  Written by Michael Turner and Bill O’Neil, they have created a great little series that explores the main villain from the first volume of Fathom.  Featuring some great, early artwork by Talent Caldwell, it is the perfect jumping-on point to Fathom and the Aspen universe in general.

Killian was just a boy when his parents died by human hands, much the same as many a comic book villain origin, and from that point on whether he knew it or not, Killian was destined for greater things.  As a teen, Killian joined a group of like-minded youths and together they formed a group called the Dissidents who would sabotage human machinations upon the ocean.  Soon though, that would not be enough for Killian and he would start killing the humans, crossing the line that society told him not to cross and realize there would be no coming back.

Killian is a great character and a great villain, especially as he was created in more recent times.  It cannot be said of too many latter day creations, but when Michael Turner decided to put pen to paper and conceive him, he made a modern antihero that stands tall among others of his ilk.  You can see the some of the same characteristics of other classic villains such as Magneto and Doctor Doom within him as he shares many of the same personality traits.  Killian is rough and reckless yet calculating and cold.  At the same time he is passionate, he cares for his people, his cause and he cares for Anya, the woman he loves.  He is a hard man, born in fire and the blood of his parents and yet for all of that, he cares perhaps more than any.

It seems that the more Turner and O’Neil immersed themselves in their newly constructed world, the better they got a grasp on their characters and Killian’s Tide, and the one-shot Killian’s Vessel prove that to be true.  The script was dead-on and while it dragged a bit in the first couple of issues, it proved more powerful in the second act.  The series itself abounds with action and intrigue, both within the renegade team and the political kind, with betrayals coming from all directions.  Caldwell’s art was strong and expressive and you could read the emotions upon Killian’s face throughout the series, especially during the tragic final scenes of the book.  If you would just like to try something new and are tired of the norm, this is a nice little origin miniseries, and a great one for fans of Michael Turner or Talent Caldwell.

4 out of 5