I fully intend to give issue #1 another go to let it sink in more, but I'm kind of unimpressed. The concept is certainly interesting though, and first issues aren't always where a comic truly shines, so I'm not passing final judgement yet. I have two main problems. First, the slang. It's far from the worst slang I've seen in a comic/movie/TV show/book, but nerdy white guys writing slang for gang members is almost always cringe-inducing. It works well enough that it's only a bit distracting, but seeing words like "homes" and "cheddar" get thrown around with such alarming frequency is still kind of goofy.
My big issue though is the pacing. Again, I know it's a first issue, and they're probably still working out the kinks, and they have to tell a story while introducing the concept at the same time, but the drama still feels rushed. It seems like scenes just kind of come one after the other, without much momentum getting built up along the way.
The artwork is pretty excellent though. I find that a more simplistic color pallet, combined with only as much detail as necessary, can actually be more immersive than excess detail. I guess the simpler textures make the images feel somehow more solid and engaging. The contrast of muted blues and purples, set off by oranges and browns, all bordered with pitch black that give the feeling of encrouching darkness, also add a nice creepy surrealism to the book too.
I'm definitely curious to see how the series evolves, even if I'm not blown away right off the bat.
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