Biker Mice from Mars: Scorch #1

By Nolan P. Smith
Editor, Pastrami Nation

Biker Mice from Mars came roaring back into the spotlight thanks to the Nacelle Company and Oni Press, and now they’re back with a brand-new series spotlighting the newest addition to Mars: Scorch!

This debut issue is an incredible introduction to Scorch, or Scratch as she was once known. We get her backstory, from her childhood to her absolutely toxic mother, whose vision for Mars is one of skyscrapers and “progress” at any cost. We also see her close ties to the Biker Mice crew and how everything went sideways for her and her sister, setting her on the path to becoming a Sand Raider and a villain shaped by the circumstances of a truly tragic childhood.

This story cuts deep, even against the backdrop of a fictional Mars populated by biker mice. Abuse is abuse, plain and simple, and we witness how it transforms a smart, kind-hearted girl into someone simply trying to survive and protect those she cares about. Writer Matt Hotson crafts something special here, creating a story that resonates with the humanity in all of us. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting an emotional gut punch like this.

The creative team of V Ken Marion, Andrew Dalhouse, Ghost Glyphs, and Taylor Esposito absolutely delivers. The action scenes are dynamic, but it’s the emotional moments that really shine. The linework is fantastic, the colors pop, and the layouts and pacing keep the story moving while allowing the heavier moments to land exactly where they need to.

I’ve loved everything the NacelleVerse has been building with Oni Press, but Biker Mice from Mars: Scorch #1 is easily my favorite issue from the shared universe so far. Scorch is a character to keep your eye on, and I’m fully invested in seeing where her journey goes—from the darkness of her past to what looks like a very bright future.

Be sure to preorder this one before it races into comic shops this August!

Rating: FIVE Pastrami Nations out of FIVE