Sunder #1 — A Goat-Like Orphan’s Universe Awaits in Pierre-Alexandre Comtois’s Debut
Zeek has spent his life inside a galactic monastery, guarding books he cannot read outside. When a mysterious magical volume binds itself to him, his quiet existence fractures. Pierre-Alexandre Comtois writes and draws this debut, blending sci-fi and fantasy into a fresh adventure about curiosity, confinement, and the world beyond the walls.
There is a particular kind of magic in watching a creator step fully into the driver’s seat for the first time. Pierre-Alexandre Comtois isn’t just drawing Sunder #1; he is writing it, inking it, and covering it, delivering a debut that feels entirely his own. Mad Cave Studios is giving us a book that balances whimsy with cosmic stakes, and if you enjoy stories where the setting is a character just as much as the people in it, this is the one to grab first.
Our protagonist is Zeek, a unique orphan with a distinct goat-like appearance who has never seen the outside world. He lives within the perimeters of a monastery located in the far reaches of the galaxy, a place so isolated that he doesn’t even know why he’s restricted from leaving. His days are spent in the quiet hum of the library, transcribing the adventures of heroes from long-forgotten eras. It is a life of secondhand stories, until a single, magical book appears on his shelves and chooses to attach itself to him.
That attachment is the spark that changes everything. The library was meant to be a sanctuary of knowledge, but for Zeek, it becomes a prison of curiosity. The moment the magic binds, the constraints of his reality begin to crack. Comtois sets up a premise that feels both intimate and epic—Zeek isn’t just picking up a book; he is picking up a key to a universe he was never allowed to know. The blend of sci-fi infrastructure and old-school fantasy magic creates a vibe that is hard to shake.
What makes this issue stand out is how Comtois handles the transition from stillness to motion. You can feel the weight of Zeek’s isolation in the early pages, which makes the intrusion of the magical artifact feel explosive rather than just informative. It’s a story about the hunger for experience, told by someone who is clearly eager to share their own creative voice. The art carries the emotion of the premise, grounding the fantastical elements in a very human desire to explore.
If you find yourself drawn to Zeek’s journey, keep an eye on how Comtois evolves his visual language as the story expands. This debut sets a strong foundation for a world that feels lived-in yet untouched. It’s a fresh entry in the stack, and the fact that it’s all coming from one creator’s hand gives it a cohesive energy that is hard to beat. Let this be the start of a new favorite for you.