By Larry Jorash — Holiday comics are in full swing this week, bringing plenty of exciting seasonal-themed offerings to comic shops. New publisher AWA Studios, meanwhile, has certainly presented some unique tales since debuting in March, and this week’s Byte-Sized #1 certainly carves out its own spot within the publisher’s line. Cullen Bunn, Nelson Blake II, and the rest of the team’s new sci-fi book’s first issue is a surprisingly charming and wonderfully-illustrated holiday story.

The brilliance of Byte-Sized #1 is in its subtlety. After a somewhat cliched, “creature(s?) escape from lab” opening sequence, we are immediately embraced by a warm, loving family with a picture perfect home and a whacky, interactive pet dog. Most of our tale proceeds in a hybrid of suspense and warmth that drops steadfastly on a most delightful cliffhanger. As a writer, I’ve always thought of Bunn as very adept at adding quirky yet mysterious elements to his work, and this comic is no exception.

The artwork is also an immediate draw. Nelson Blake II crafts vivid scenes in a style that reflects the naive innocence of the main characters. The expected first issue cliffhangers really work primarily because of his a aesthetic nuance and design. And following our story’s friendly canine was a delight across a colorful spread thanks to colorist Snakebite Cortez. Readers are also likely to love the dark cover work of Rahzzah. It all adds up to a very solid holiday read.

Overall: Byte-Sized #1 is a great holiday genre read that’s reminiscent of classics such as Gremlins, powered in equal parts by strong writing and art. 8.5/10

REVIEW: Byte-Sized #1

Byte-Sized #1
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Nelson Blake II
Colorist: Snakebite Cortez
Letterer: Sal Cipriano
Publisher: AWA Studios
Price: $3.99
When two young siblings excitedly unwrap their final Christmas presents, they discover toy robots unlike anything they have ever seen. And with good reason. What the kids and their parents don't know is that their quaint suburban home just became the beachhead for these self-aware 'bots that have begun to explore the outside world. And when one of the 'bots breaks bad, it's going to take a Christmas miracle to stop him.
Release Date: December 9, 2020
Buy It Digitally: Byte-Sized #1

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Larry Jorash resides in Central Florida managing a comic book shop and coaching youth sports. In his spare time he enjoys watching ice hockey and reading. You will almost never find his hand vacant of coffee. Find him on twitter: (@theREALlarbear)