Zenescope Entertainment 2016
Written by Joe Tyler
Illustrated by Carlos Granda
Coloured by Jorge Cortes
Lettered by Fabio Amelia
For decades the U.S. Government has covered up the existence of dozens of species of dangerous creatures that have been captured over the years. After building a small, secretive city on a remote island in the Pacific, these monsters were transported there to be studied. In 2012, disaster struck and the island was evacuated. Now the inmates have taken over, and different species fight for control within the city walls. However, something extremely valuable was left behind on the island and the only way to recover it is to send an elite mercenary unit into the most dangerous place in the world… Monster Island.
Well this issue opens with a surprising turn of events. It would seem that when Kelsey was getting off the island and she thought those overrun were lost she wasn’t entirely right. Not only does Gerald still live but her boyfriend, Charles, does also. Not just them either there’s an entire human population still alive on the island. There a number of reasons to like this among them is the revelation of who is bankrolling the operation and his history with the island. Those on the island aren’t part of the mission and both sides seems to inherently know this adding to the already high drama happening here. Finally there’s something about them being alive that doesn’t sit right with me and I cannot wait to figure out why that is.
Joe’s doing an incredible job keeping this series not only fast paced but chock full of surprises. There’s incredibly strong characterization happening, fractures in the way the characters see what’s going on in an ever changing landscape and let’s face it there be monsters here. Plus the Queen yeah now that she’s in charge of the island there’s more to worry about than ever before. While the government may have underestimated them the residents of this island know who to be scared of!
This issue it made me feel we were in a video game, or at least in a movie based on one, yeah Doom comes to mind. Ya know what i’m perfectly happy with that too because the action sequences are amazing well portrayed and it has this whole larger than life cinematic feel to it in the writing and the interiors. It’s the kind of elevates the excitement so the blood quickens and you begin to keep watch for how many aren’t going to make it. This is the kind of stuff you like to see, experience and hope there’s more of.
Carlos and Jorge do such a great job with the interiors. Aside from our mercenaries they’ve really managed to make the creatures of the island fearsome. The humans they find are ragged and almost bereft of hope. Plus Carlos has this great eye for how the book needs to flow to get the most out of the visual experience.
This is the kind of high end horror that needs to be focused on more from Zenescope. It’s that intelligent and thoughtful quick paced thrill a minute stuff that gets under the reader’s skin.