Outer Darkness #1

Outer Darkness has a little of everything - military drama, mystery, horror, giant monster space shipship engines, baby-faced ghouls plowing through the dark void of the universe. Afu Chan and John Layman have delivered an impressive debut issue (complete with an extremely cool logo by Andres Juarez) that manages to be a little bit of a lot of things, brought together in a cohesive and engrossing world populated with captivating characters and compelling drama. Read Full Review

Outer Darkness is an exhilarating journey from start to finish and should be on every sci-fi fan's pull list. Read Full Review

I feel like most sci-fi / horror stories tend to lean more on the sci-fi side than the spooky stuff. Outer Darkness is right in the middle, if not leaning more towards horror. There are constant reminders that we're dealing with horrifying things, plus these characters are doing it while rocketing through the far reaches of space. This debut issue lays the ground work for a slew of possibilities and many of them are dark. It's like a pilot to your next favorite TV show. Read Full Review

I picked this up because it was the first issue of an outer space series. I had no idea what I was getting into. This is the space horror I've been waiting for someone to do for years: a fully realized star fleet that has to deal with the supernatural terrors that exist in the darkness of space. The characters are cool, the visuals outstanding, and the threats monstrously evil. This nightmare is a dream come true for fans of sci-fi and horror. Buckle up, folks, because this won't be your average space trek. Absolutely recommended! Read Full Review

OUTER DARKNESS #1 by John Layman and Afu Chan is the story of Captain Joshua Rigg and his misfit crew as they warp through space on an unforeseen mission. What could possibly go wrong? There's no telling where their voyage will take them but I definitely request permission to board for the ride. Read Full Review

Outer Darkness #1 is a strong start to a series with a lot of promise. It doesn't look like its breaking all the rules just yet, but with all the subtle references of things to come, there's not telling where it'll go. You should be along for the ride. Read Full Review

A solid and charming debut. In the back matter of the comic, writer John Layman describes Outer Darkness as the distillation of what I love the most. Science fiction, horror and weird shit. Well, I like those things too, so sign me up to journey into space with this one. Read Full Review

Outer Darkness' first issue is a pretty stellar, simple and effective debut that crosses genres with little issue and revels in compelling world building bolstered by a cool premise to great effect. Layman and Chan are both on top of their game in unique, fun ways here. Read Full Review

"Outer Darkness" #1 is Layman and Chan firing on all creative cylinders, with all the God Engines and Japanese satellite bars you could ever need. Read Full Review

Laymen and Chan have a winner with Outer Darkness. Captain Rigg, Agwe, Service Administrator Prakash, First Officer Satalis, and the rest of the crew of the Charon, embark upon some funny, yet probably horrific adventures ahead. If you're down for projectile vomit, decapitations, and living engines, this is the book for you. Come aboard and check out Outer Darkness. Read Full Review

I feel like Outer Darkness can be another winner for Skybound for the potential that this story carries. Outer Darkness doesn't go the normal route as most horror stories would, and doesn't fear the dangers of jumping into the abyss with a mission. This series embraces it and that should make this a thrilling adventure moving forward. Read Full Review

So Layman, Chan, and Brousseau have come together to make a monster of a debut. Genre crossing, yes, yet seriously sci fi. But. Melville, Matsumoto, the sea holds its sway with the story as well. Most people think D&D when you talk Jack Vance comparisons, but the man was merchant marine. Outer Darkness is on the Cugel's Saga tip, bursting with the legacy of fantastic voyage and with the promise of the new. Aesthetically on point and literarily inspired, diverse, and much needed. Read Full Review

OUTER DARKNESS #1 offers a loving tribute to genre tropes. However, the horror/sci-fi narrative is engaging on its own merits. There is plenty here for fans of STAR TREK or ALIEN, but even readers outside the genre fan base should still find a lot to love. Read Full Review

Outer Darkness is a fun sci-fi book and well worth a look, but it will need to flesh out its concepts in an interesting way to continue to be worth your time. Read Full Review

Where the issue fails is in providing a compelling introduction to the characters, who so far feel a one note and flat. In particular, the main protagonist is very angry, but the issue provides only the vaguest hints as to why, making it hard to empathize with his anger. Still, it's a good-looking comic that involves emergency space exorcisms, so it earns some leeway to grow. Read Full Review

Synthozoid

Nov 18, 2018

What a pleasant surprise! I pick up many Image #1s in a whim. I'm so glad I bought this one! Horror in Space is done often in comics and movies, but not necessarily done well. Layman and Chan have figured out the magic formula for high quality in this genre. I'm in!

Kurogane

Nov 07, 2018

A great start to the series. Rigg's character is very entertaining, and the story hits just the right balance of suspense and fun. Afu Chan's art is pretty dang excellent. Overall this serves as a setup issue, and the real story is gonna start next issue; but considering the number of concepts introduced here it makes sense to me.

Shodan

Nov 27, 2018

The back matter mentions what John Layman was trying to do with this series and I think he's nailed it. The art is a little cartoon networkish, but I have a feeling it will grow on me. I would have liked to see Rigg a little more grizzled; he's clearly older "I've been doing this since you were blanking on your mom's blank cliche" and a heavy drinker. CLiche main character aside the horror elements work so well, from the first encounter with spirits to the God Engine there is so much potential here. I can see a slow burn long form plot with one-shot missions along the way.

Full Spread

Nov 07, 2018

Presents strong characterization and worldbuilding where the supernatural and scifi converge as only Layman could deliver. Chan's art is not to be missed.

Bill Blaze

Nov 09, 2018

This looks like it'll be a really entertaining series. There's not too much to this issue but it does introduce some interesting elements and ideas. Heavy emphasis on supernatural and obviously sci-fi. I'm in.

Gizmo

Nov 12, 2018

It's Star Trek with some occult flair. The characters are promising, they feel like real people

Deadlybeavis

Nov 11, 2018

It's good, but the main character is just, blah... To me, it feels like his character and his motivations are so cliche it was downright cringy. The part with the demon was pretty cool though.

Valiant Son

Jan 22, 2019

The premise is interesting, albeit a little bit weird. There is nothing wrong with that per se, but some aspects are going to need a bit more exposition as the reader is thrown into the world and things are just mentioned without any kind of explanation. While that is quite naturalistic it doesn't really work in fiction, especially where that fictional world is almost completely different from the reader's experience. This opening issue falls just on the right side of the line where lack of exposition slips from being intriguing into just being annoying. The art is somewhat cartoonish and does not really fit the story's tone. Ultra realistic art would not fit either, but this is just a bit too cartoon-like for me. None of this is to s ay that I disliked the comic. It is an interesting opener and I want to read more, but there are some narrative deficiencies that I hope will be address as the series moves forward. The art I can live with: if I must. more