Storm Dogs, Season 1

Dispatched to the protected world of Amaranth to investigate mysterious deaths, Commander Burroughs and her team find a planet in which the rain itself is lethal, the treaties protecting the natives are willfully ignored, technological bans are systematically broken, and corruption infests every branch of government. Hints of sophisticated civilization seemingly incompatible with what is believed of the local Elohi and Joppa tribes, along with evidence of predators as yet undocumented, foreshadow revelations that will reward the hubris of the off-worlders. The creators offer a fairly standard mélange of elements borrowed from science fiction, noir, and westerns, with the occasional hint of creativity leavening the cavalcade of familiar clichés, like the kind-hearted hooker and the Secrets Man (and woman, and various aliens) Were Not Meant to Know. The hard-edged, sometimes clumsy artwork is suited to the world of nefarious profiteers it depicts. Although there is little here that has not been seen elsewhere, the creators understand their source material and what their audience expects. This volume provides a firm basis for a long-running series that will entertain without being too challenging. (Dec.)