"The Hard Way" reviewed by Mike Collins.

Naughty Dog founder Jason Rubin takes his first steps into the world of comics with a creator owned series being published by Aspen.

Iron and the Maiden takes place in a sprawling retro futuristic cityscape where men wear 1930's suits and cars fly. It is vibrantly brought to life by pencilers Francis Manapul and Joel Gomez with colors by Danimation. The time period isn't specified but we are told a great war ended twenty years ago that brought about advances in technology but it has been subverted through Prohibition.

If the first issue is any indication this should be an entertaining series. Issue one begins with title character, Syndicate hitman Michael Iron, disrupting Sunday service to twist the arm of an obviously corrupt Cardinal. Things go from bad to worse when Iron finds half the police force waiting for him outside.

Making a daring escape Iron makes his way back to his boss, the inspired Big Daddy. Here we learn a bit more about the organization Michael Iron works for and how far their criminal reach is. This meeting also sets in motion the rest of the series. Iron and a small crew are sent to collect outstanding gambling debts from former special forces soldier John Chase, who is at home with his family, including daughter Angela and two small children.

In a manic scene everything goes to hell. Iron turns out to be a better man than either he or the reader is expecting and a whole lot of blood gets spilled. The issue ends with a seriously wounded Iron and Angela Chase, the Maiden of the title, on the run with Big Daddy's forces closing in.

I think Rubin, Manapul and Gomez deliver an entertaining first issue that shows promise for the rest of the series.