Chris Downs Comic Reviews

It's another solid debut from Image, steeped in the tradition of Southern Gothic and Zombie Apocalypse narratives but with a unique, scary and prescient twist.

There's a lot to take in, and this first issue could potentially lose marks for the exposition-heavy nature of its world-building, but when it moves at such a swift pace and is so incredibly well-realised as this it becomes more intriguing than intrusive – for me personally, at least. It aims big and promises much, but it has all the hallmarks of a classic series in the making.

Admittedly your enjoyment will entirely depend of whether you have a love of this brand of crazy, lowest-common-denominator black comedy, and some will blow it off as vapid nonsense, but Ottley is clearly having a blast here and reveling in the insanity, and has a wonderful sense of comic timing. And next issue promises even more, as our one-and-a-half survivors are pursued by our vengeful antagonist and, with Sea Bear yet to make an appearance, the series is bound to get even more outrageous.

Steeped in the grit and gristle of the genre and not afraid to wallow in it, this limited series looks like being a worthy addition to the canons of the respective creators, Titan's fledgling line and the hardboiled crime genre in general. It's as caustic, sleazy and dangerous as a 42nd street showing of Forced Entry.

I honestly cant quite work out who this reboot is aimed at, as its too slapdash to make an impression on long-term fans but also lacks the gory excess for the younger readers looking for the illicit thrills of the original. A wasted opportunity.

A large part of what makes this series is Cannon's wonderful art, which balances both the pathos and cartoonish elements perfectly, able to nimbly go from silly to heartbreaking to unsettling in a matter of panels, not pages. Admittedly it is packed with lots of really esoteric references, lots of which undoubtedly went over my head, but that doesn't detract from the sheer enjoyment to be had in this wonderful series.

That's not to say that it's completely po-faced though, as Naifeh's ear for warm, funny dialogue and smooth skill for visual storytelling gives the characters and story a snappy bounce amidst the darker elements, making it an absorbing read full of energy, laughs and action. This is tailor-made for those searching for something a little bit different from what the Big Two have to offer at the moment.

This is a series that will appeal to old-skool fans and newbies alike, with smart characterisation, likeable heroes and a truly frightening antagonist. After the last few rather lukewarm big-screen outings that turned the creature into a PG anti-hero, it's refreshing to see a series not afraid to return to the gruesome heights of the original film.

It's as compelling and accomplished as debuts come, a rich tapestry of portentous conversations, archaic lore and gruesome murders that makes long speeches about stock trading drip with dread. It feels like the start of something very special.

Of the Rebirth issues I've read so far this is by far the most promising and, between us, I think it just might have brought me back into the fold.