Written by Jonathan Hedrick
Art by Ruben Gil Lopez
Colors by Lorenzo Palombo
Letters by Joel Rodriguez
Published by Scout Comics

“Set years before the shocking events of The Recount, Preamble details the life of Phil Pontus, the tragic death of his mother, his military service and subsequent decision to enter politics, his assent to the office of Vice President, and the terrible events that culminated in his assumption of leadership of a terrorist group known only as “The Masses.””

The Recount is back with a vengeance and a look into the origins of Phil Pontus. Tragedy and hardship fills his life and hones him into a seemingly good politician and person. However, when things take a turn and he suddenly is no longer vice president is when he starts down a dark path to become the leader of the “The Masses” that we know.

Jonathan Hedrick’s writing and character development shine through as he manages to make us care about a villain that we had grown to despise through the original series. The Preamble really builds up the motivations of Pontus and what might lead him down such a terrible path. While this story helps to define the antagonist of The Recount, it also stands alone and makes a poignant point about grief and the effects of being left behind and forgotten.

Ruben Gil Lopez’s artwork is as dark and gritty as the plot and really emphasizes the shadows of this wild anti-political thriller. Lorenzo Palombo matches that artwork with muted colors that keeps the theme slated in corruption and iniquity that seems to drive Phil Pontus. Joel Rodriguez is always a solid letterer and that shines through in this issue especially in the action scenes.

Hedrick has previously stated that The Recount is not agenda-based and that holds true in this prequel. While showing differences between candidates, Hedrick manages to leave policies out of it to create a story and world that is truly for everyone, especially fans of 24 or The Purge.

The Recount Preamble #1 comes out this New Comic Book Day 5/25/2022! You can get it from your Local Comic Shop (LCS) or from scoutcomics.com!