by Hendrix, Gordon and Nelsen
Dime Store Distribution

Faction #0,originally produced for Small Press Idol, is certainly what I would call a "hidden gem." Written by Erik Hendrix, Faction is set in the year 2025, in a time where the governments of the world are solely focused on eliminating world terrorism.

Enter Acker Kinnery, a medic with US Special Ops, who is near-fatally wounded in a roadside bombing. Upon waking up in a military hospital, Kinney's life begins to take hard left, as he is attached by a demonic being intent upon ending his life. Kinney is rescued by the mysterious Society of the Enlightened and is set upon a path that will lead him to fulfillment of his unknown destiny.

Upon reading Faction #0, I found that from the very first page, the narrative dialog flows and complements the half-tone artwork. The art, by Arnie Gordon and Michael Nelsen, brings a sense of military realism to a world of spiritual fantasy. The 12-page story keeps the story moving forward, without the sense of being rushed and provides just enough to whet the appetites of reader and bring them back for more. In addition, the bonus material, which includes character bios, concept artwork and character style guides, makes the cover price well worth it ($2.00 for digital download and $3.50 for print copies).

Interested fans can purchase the book through Dime Store Distributors (www.dimestoredisro.com) and retailers can order the book through Haven Distributors (www.havendistro.com) through August 31, 2009.

Review by Brandon G. DeStefano