Read the first part in the 4001 AD other stories. It didn’t make sense as it was out of context at the time. Since I got caught up with the rest of the story and reread the whole arc it makes more sense. It’s good, but not as great as the rest of the world building. ( )

Picked up the first three of these on a whim out of the dollar box at a local bookstore, liked them a lot so I read the last two on Comixology. The talking gun with feelings is pure genius, I also thought the plot was cool and liked the art a lot. Would definitely read more if there was more. ( )

It’s the year 4001 A.D. and the Earth has become a very inhospitable place. Ana has been bioengineered to be able to withstand most if perhaps not all the dangers this apocalyptic world might throw at her. She is the War Mother of a small enclave of humans called the Grove. With the help of her sentient weapon, Flaco, she protects the Grove, leaving it only on short forages to find what they need but cannot produce themselves. When a radio signal is received offering a refuge somewhere further than she has ever gone before, Ana heads out to investigate. What she finds may be either the survival of mankind or its end. The question for her and the people she protects: can even Ana survive all the dangers she will confront on her quest?

The graphic novel, War Mother by Fred Van Lente is published by Valient Comics and contains volumes 1-4 of the original War Mother comic series. The series is a spin off from 4001 A.D. which I have not read but this works fine as a standalone. There was a whole lot to like here. The art by Stephen Segovia is gorgeous, the world building is impressive and there’s plenty of action, twists, and even some witty banter between Ana and Flaco to keep the story moving along at a nice clip. My one criticism is the subplot about a relationship that has developed between Ana’s husband and another member of the Grove – I’m guessing its significance will become apparent in future issues but here it serves only as a distraction from the main story and not a welcome one. Overall, though War Mother is a compelling story with a strong female protagonist and I look forward to reading more of the series in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and Valient Comics for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review ( )

Goodreads Synopsis:
BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT — WAR MOTHER RETURNS! Out of the pages of 4001 A.D., the breakout hero of the 41st century charges onward in an high-powered tale of tomorrow from New York Times best-selling writer Fred Van Lente (ARCHER & ARMSTRONG) and high-octane artists Stephen Segovia (NINJAK, Action Comics) and Tomás Giorello (X-O MANOWAR)!

Two millennia from today, Earth is not the hospitable home we once we knew. Ravaged by an endless onslaught of war, disaster, and time, the world is littered with desolate badlands, fortified kingdoms, and secretive enclaves where humanity still clings to life… Enclaves like The Grove – Earth’s last known repository of scientific knowledge and bioengineered prosperity. Now, under the leadership of the lone protector called WAR MOTHER and her sentient sniper rifle, the denizens of The Grove face a critical choice: remain where they are and die, or find a new land and flourish. Can War Mother lead her people out of isolation and reignite the fires of a dying planet? And even if she can locate the distant citadel she seeks, can she fight back the horrors and perverse monstrosities that lurk just beyond her doorstep?

In the footsteps of RAI and BOOK OF DEATH, raw power meets tribal warfare as Fred Van Lente & Stephen Segovia forge a modern myth of the near future through the fire-tempered frontier of 41st century Earth for Valiant’s next stunning science-fiction showdown!

Collecting WAR MOTHER #1–4 and 4001 A.D.: WAR MOTHER #1.

My Review:
In a futuristic but apocalyptic world, tribes of humans and humanoids alike are fighting to scavenge wrecks that drop from orbit onto the planet. Ana, main character and War Mother of a vegetarian village of people, goes out with her talking gun and goes to get the tech that the people in the sky have dropped. Although her home grows almost everything they need, they can't grow metals and circuitry so she must go out and find it before others, like the meat eaters, do. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book based off of the cover itself. It looked interesting, the description made it seem like something I'd like, so I requested it. I'm glad I got the chance to read it. Though only one hundred and twenty-ish pages long, It's packed full of action and beautiful artwork. It captures the story well and pulls you in immediately. It's exciting, full of action and the characters are cool looking and confident, I love it. It's everything I want in a story. The setting, although alien, is really well established and the artwork makes it really intricate and it fits well with the story. I really enjoyed reading this and you should definitely check it out if you get the chance.

Here's a link to the author's twitter, and another link to the book on Amazon.

https://twitter.com/fredvanlente

https://www.amazon.ca/War-Mother-Fred-Van-Lente/dp/1682152375/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8...

Thanks for reading! Check out this review and more at my blog.
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com) ( )

Works well as a standalone story.

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss.)

It's the 41st century, and humanity - at least that which remains on earth - has evolved into something different: cyborgs, trogs, scavs, and urbanites. Deep within the unforgiving jungle, small enclaves of survivors exist, eking out a precarious living. The citizens of the Grove are among the luckiest. A former research facility, the Grove is a sentient settlement that's largely self-sufficient. Controlled by the chieftain/consciousness Sylvan, the Grove manufactures most of what its citizens need: food, clothing, tech. Ana - the tribe's War Mother - scavenges the rest.

In accordance with the Grove's maxim - "Bring back nothing living" - Ana was bred to be barren, her body a hostile host to all potential biological invaders, from bacteria to fetuses. This rule served the Grove well - that is, until the day Ana returned with a young orphan boy she rescued from trogs. The resulting conflict ended in Sylvan's death. Without its mind, the Grove began to wither and die.

When a millennia-old signal from a refuge called the Montana reaches the Grove, Ana sets out to see whether it's habitable. With her AI gun Flaco at her side, the War Mother just might lead her people to safety - or ruin.

I didn't realize it when I downloaded this title, but War Mother is an offshoot of another series, 4001 A.D. Luckily, it works well as a standalone story. Van Lente does a good job of laying out the plot for us noobs. It's a compelling enough story, and the artwork complements the gritty, post-apocalyptic feel nicely. I love the scenes with Ana and Flaco, which is no surprise, because AI rights is an interest of mine.

On the downside, I thought the subplot with Ana and her husband Ignacio was a distraction at best, and a cliché at worst (women who can't/don't have children aren't real women and so it's only natural for their husbands to cheat on them. Add in the fact that she's a badass warrior woman, i.e. not suitably feminine, and ... vomit. I'm with Max, Ignacio is by no means a worthy "mate" for her.)

Also the descriptions of the future tech often sounded totally made up, like words that are supposed to sound all scientific and impressive but don't really say much of anything. For all I know, though, they're a callback to more detailed explanations in 4001 A.D. and I'm being a total idgit right now.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2018/04/06/war-mother-by-fred-van-lente/ ( )