Insane Comics 2016
Written, Coloured & Lettered by Tyler Carpenter
Illustrated by Trevis Martinez
So the book opens up with the narration of how god spent the first seven days. While that is going on we see a chase happening where one man pulls a gun out and yells stop then shoots and hits the fleeing figure. It’s what happens after he shoots the suspect that is cause to pause for concern.
So far I have to say the setup for this is pretty interesting. The man who did the shooting we learn is Detective Ace Carter and he heads to a church to talk to it’s Preacher about what it may be that the man turned into. The Preacher turns out to have more knowledge than one may have thought. He tells a story from a time when he found his calling for the ministry. It’s a tale he’s never told Ace before and it’s one that sounds awfully familiar to the man Ace found.
There are more things under God and Heaven than man knows. This Preacher and his story and his relationship to Ace all conspire to say that perhaps Ace was always bound to be a part of this and this was destined to happen to him. Interesting concept really that some things in life are going to happen regardless and that God does indeed work in mysterious ways. Though Ace doesn’t really buy into that and even with physical evidence laid out before him there’s more than just a shade of doubt about what’s really going on.
The writing, story progression and the everything that we se and learn in this issue sets up for an arc that will be rather interesting, involved and the kinds of revelations that Ace will encounter will test who he is through and through. They may even change his relationship with the Preacher who knows. But the stage here is set for a fight between good and evil in it’s truest forms.
Trevis’ interior artwork is rather nice if simple. It has a rougher sketch quality to it that is interesting and there are times it has that American Manga feel. The use of page layouts while simple are effective and the use of angles and perspective are expected and show someone just beginning to really learn to how to do storyboard storytelling. I’d like to see more backgrounds as they really do wonders to show off the bigger picture and can set the mood and tone of any given moment of any panel. There’s definite potential here for a great indie vibe that i’d like to see grow and cultivated.
As far as first issues goes this one’s pretty solid. We’re introduced to the characters, factions and surprising relationships. While Ace might not buy into what the Preacher is selling he’s seen these creatures with his own eyes and is about to embark on a journey the likes of which most god fearing men would run away from. Showing off his police mentality rather nicely if I may add. There’s the potential for a better introduction to a group that’s mentioned that will likely come into play and who knows maybe even a change in the line of work that Ace is in.
Sometimes we Demons are just men who do dastardly inhumane acts and dismiss the thought they come from a darker realm. Tyler however is taking us there and saying what if, what if that darker realm exists and these things come and hide and prey on the unsuspecting, what then? Guess we’ll find out.