Graphic Novel Review: DIE HARD: YEAR ONE Vol. 1

The Die Hard film franchise is nothing short of amazing as it still manages to pack the theaters especially after the most previous one Live Free or Die Hard was a huge hit. Now the infamous John McClane faces a whole new villain – his first year on the job. Boom! Studios latest hit Die Hard: Year One takes us to the very beginning as we see McClane as a rookie cop on the job in New York City during the 1976 Bicentennial celebration. He gets more than he bargained for when he gets mixed up with an innocent woman who accidentally witnesses two cops murder a man in cold blood. These two cooked cops are part of an even bigger conspiracy that threatens the Bicentennial celebration as well as many innocent lives. Now McClane must prove that he’s more than just a rookie cop in order to uncover the conspiracy and save the girl.

Written by Howard Chaykin, with art by Stephen Thompson, and colorist Matthew Wilson Die Hard: Year One is a great addition to the franchise. Both Chaykin and Thompson capture the spirit and humor of the films in this Year One story leaving little hints of things to come in the future. The story is fast paced and yet still tells a very good story. If there’s one complaint it’s that it was too short. At only originally 4 issues long, the series goes by way to fast (and I wanted to read more) but I guess it’s a good thing that this is only the beginning for the character for Boom! Studios.

Another great thing about the graphic novel edition is that they collect all the various covers from the series so you get a glimpse into all the contributing artists which is always an asset in my book. It is also presented as a hard back version rather than the standard soft cover so you know you’re getting more bang for your buck (also included is what has now become a standard for hard back editions is a book mark or page placement). Hopefully, this is a sign of great things to come.