Tomb Raider #1 follows the adventures of Lara Croft in a new ongoing series written by Gail Simone picking up after the events in the critically acclaimed video game of the same name where Lara and her crewmates went searching for the lost kingdom of Yamatai but only a handful survived. What started out as a wide-eyed journey filled with dreams of discovery and fame quickly became a nightmare as they entered into treacherous waters at the urging of Lara and their ship was struck by mysterious lightning, which resulted in them being shipwrecked on the island. But the island was populated by deranged inhabitants who were trapped on the island for so long they became seemingly possessed with a violent spirit, and having to contend with supernatural forces, Lara and the other survivors were lucky to get off the island alive. However she’s still haunted by her decision to ignore the advice not to enter into the Dragon’s Triangle, which was the start of the expedition going terribly wrong and she blames herself for the deaths of those who were on the ship. Her current nightmares aren’t getting any better either as those who perished on the island try to keep her there forever, and it doesn’t comfort her knowing that her friend Sam, who was also on the island, is having difficulties as well because Sam doesn’t want to talk about it. But when she gets an urgent call from Jonah she rushes out to find him knowing he’s suffering from nightmares due to the island as well. Are Lara’s current struggles all in her mind or are they all still being affected by some mysterious power from the island they’re unaware of?

As one who thoroughly enjoyed the video game, and not just the game play mechanics but the story too with the new Lara, I was looking forward to reading this issue and seeing how it translated into a comic book. And not just how the new Lara translated but new stories going forward as the entire franchise is ripe for very interesting adventures. It opened up with some of the same tone from the game but a more mature and reflective Lara based on the experiences in the game as she grappled with the deaths of her friends. It was clear early on that there would be strong and obvious supernatural influences and not just in the form of haunted dreams but Sam clearly being physically bruised by some unidentified force. This was a very interesting angle because these supernatural forces weren’t something anyone among the crew believed in let alone was accustomed to and the severity of the trauma experienced was maintained, as well as gave a way to gain some insight into Lara’s current mentality. It was important to establish her mindset to give some definition to her as a character and what was motivating her, and even more so once she sets out on the road to find Johan. The story felt somewhat rushed from this point in terms of events occurring without much of an explanation, and of course that’s partly due to this being the first issue and the groundwork being laid for the story arc, but unless one was familiar with the game the interaction between Lara and Johan could be perplexing as it goes from one extreme to the other. And so part of me was left wishing less attention was paid to the driver and more to establishing Lara and Johan’s relationship before the events unfolded.

However I don’t want it to seem as if I’m nitpicking because the revelations setting up this story arc are very interesting and I really like the direction the events took. There isn’t much of a hint as to what will occur next but considering the intense action and the portrayal of Lara, it’s almost guaranteed that it’ll be an enjoyable read.

SUMMARY

Tomb Raider #1 is a very interesting and promising start filled with great action and gives a clear portrayal of the new Lara and her current mentality while leaving plenty of room for interesting character development. The heavy leaning towards the supernatural elements has the potential to really open up the series and put Lara in some unique situations. Playing the video game does help with this first issue to the extent that the relationships and experiences of the other characters are known but it’s definitely not a requirement as enough is explained through Lara’s recollections. And I’m looking forward to seeing how events unfold.

Release Date: 2/26/14

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: Nicolas Daniel Selma