Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan have the real knack for reaching almost childlike horror in primal. This is the talent they unfolded at last year’s Kill Your Darlings, and I felt that it would hit a similar creepy sweet spot as soon as their latest work was announced.
Blink and you miss it mainly because they focus on setting the tone and dropping us on an ongoing journey. We get a big touch with the hero, even if we don’t really know what she’s looking for in this early stage. We know that she’s been home a long time away, and people say, “You can’t go home again,” but they neglect to mention that if it’s the way you left them, things can be far more scary. It is difficult to get deeper into explaining this first problem. Because many of them read like comic books, the equivalent of trying to explain a dream to someone after waking up. By the end of the first issue, the mystery and love story are in shape, but the details are ambiguous beyond the outline.
All I can say is that the narration is beautifully written and gives you the idea of the dangers that lurk around each corner, but it doesn’t tell you what the dangers are at all. There are several moments here that mark the town’s past, but much of the problem is spent setting up the movements of the main rescue team. In a way, it feels like the problem ends as it progresses, but the atmosphere is very uncommon and it’s difficult to complain.
boom! studio
The artwork by Keith Browning and Brad Simpson is incredibly grumpy, especially in the way the scenery slowly began to close from the open highways and mountain views. Jesse’s body language tells us so much about this character that we’re still getting to know. You can get the feeling that she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. Much of the story takes place in seemingly ordinary towns, but there are moments that show a dark, supernatural underbelly. Getting a glimpse into the inhuman creatures makes me excited to see the ghouls that this team can cook in future issues. Meanwhile, a splash page showing town squares reminiscent of Ned Dameron’s iconic Stephen King illustration (trust me, you know you’ll see it).
But blinking like a half-memorized dream, you can leave a lot of emotions in the reader to miss it. Even if you’re unclear about the exact beats and logic of the story, you always remember how your dreams felt. The book achieves similar feats, and allows readers to care about the pair at the heart of the story. And like the repeated dreams I am trying to decipher, I am already eager to see and understand this world more, waiting to frustrate the next issue.
“Blink, you miss it” #1 is like a beautiful bad dream
Brink and you miss it in #1
Like a beautiful bad dream, this book will remain in your heart after it’s finished. This first issue can’t wait to fully inspire readers’ imaginations and understand the mystery of the perennial port.
Dreamy Plots and Artwork Make this first chapter beautiful and unsettling
With great narration and quick glimpses of connections between characters, you’re hungry for more answers
The first problem feels like it ends when it’s happening
