A fairly ingenious riff on Mad Max
and The Transporter
, this SF miniseries is set in a postapocalyptic America where rival walled cities are surrounded by a barren, frequently radioactive wilderness populated by hostile mutants. Anyone who wants something taken from one city to another must rely on couriers who drive armored, souped-up cars through the wasteland. When a drug lord pressures hard-boiled courier Nick Masters into making the suicide run from L.A. to San Francisco, he's forced to take along a smart-ass girl because she knows the way, and her presence both complicates the journey and allows Nick to reveal his heart of gold. Crosby's story and Nelson's script handle this familiar material smoothly, but it's Biagini's art that really makes the story captivating by presenting inventively deformed mutants, their elaborate s&m gear, and jazzy fight scenes. There are few surprises, but it's a quick, enjoyable tale. (Feb.)
