For a lot of heroes, protecting is a passion and part of their moral core. But what if saving the world was just your day job? Could you just leave the work behind when you punch out?  That’s the struggle of the main character of Secret Wars: 2099 #1, a Captain America employed by the Alchemax corporation.

Peter David and Will Sliney are very successful at creating and introducing this corner of Battleworld. From the beginning, we’re thrown into an all-new, all- different New York of 2099, at a break neck pace. Even at that speed, David and Slinky manage to give each character moments, visually or through dialogue, that clearly define their power set or personality.  This assures that the reader isn’t confused about the setting, situation and ‘rules’ (thus far) of this world.

The most fascinating character on the team, so far, is futuristic, female Captain America.  At one moment, she’s a battlefield general who demands respect among her teammates, she’s not even afraid to stand up to a Greek God, and the next moment she’s a loving matriarch. Right now, it seems like she’s able to keep the two lifestyles separate, to the extent that one may not be aware of the other yet.

David only skims the surface on the rest of the characters in this issue: Hercules is an old-fashioned chauvinist, who’s having a hard time getting over some past guilt, Iron Man seems to have at least one ace up his sleeve, Black Widow is ruthless and willing to kill, and Hawkeye, forever proving himself the most common of the team, can fly.

If there was a weakness to this issue it is that it feels a partially incomplete. David’s writing has yet to reveal what the stakes of this new series are. Even though we were just introduced to the status quo, nothing about it has changed yet within this issue. We don’t have a reason to care about these characters yet and the tease at the end of the issue doesn’t present a problem or twist that needs resolved. While I enjoyed the status quo presented, I’m finding it difficult to come up with a reason to get excited to return for additional stories.

Sliney’s art reveals more about this world than the plot does. His backgrounds provide great context of this world, the omnipresence of Captain America’s image shows that she’s truly the largest symbol of this 2099 Nueva York. It is refreshing to see that even though we are in a different future and on Battleworld that Fisk and Stark are still major players in the city.

But when it comes to defining the look of 2099, colorists Antonio Fabela and Andres Mossa really excel. The use of neon blues, reds, purples and greens sets the tone for this book, even more than the futuristic skyscrapers and flying cars. In fact, the only use of primary blue or red may be in Captain America’s uniform. Even Iron Man’s shades of red and yellow are a little over the top. Teaser images don’t often get a lot of attention in these types of reviews but how cool does Sliney’s Hulk look in the image that teases next issue.  I don’t think he’s had the opportunity during the new 2099 era to draw something this over the top as the Hulk on that final page.

Overall, it’s a great introduction to some exciting characters, but until we know more about what’s at stake, it’s hard to tell whether or not Secret Wars 2099 will be required reading during this event.