Share this
What’s Up Comic Fans!? It is I, Rich from NI Wrestling & the 3FN Podcast representing Nerd Initiative. It’s fair to say I also represent the NI Comics Bullpen, as I’m back to review yet another Comic review!
This time, I’m reviewing the new Horror Anthology from BOOM! Studios, Hello Darkness #1! Talk about a packed first issue featuring writing from Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Robert Hack, Dave Cook, Sarah Andersen, Steve Orlando, James Tynion IV, and Garth Ennis. Plus, art by Letizia Cadonici, David Cousens, Werther Dell’edera, A.L Kaplan, and Becky Cloonan.
Let’s take a look at the new release!
***Possible Minor Spoilers***
The first thing of note with Hello Darkness is the unique setup of the book. It features the 2 part ones of the main stories that will be continuing over future issues (more on those later).
The unique part is what separates the two main stories, which is five one and done short stories. As a horror movie fan, it reminds me of the old Grindhouse Horror movies of the 70’s. This setup works to perfection.
Welcome to the Grindhouse
The first of the shorts is Contagious (Written by Jude Ellison S. Doyle, illustrated by Letizia Cadonici, colors by Alessandro Santoro, letters by Becca Carey, and edited by Allyson Gronowitz). This is a tale about a weird contagion that infects children and makes them kill their parents. We follow the new girl Charlie as she tries to figure out what’s going on, and how to avoid catching this sickness. Even as a short story, Contagious delivers and gives the reader a great twist ending.
Next up is I Can’t Take You Anywhere, created entirely by Robert Hack. These are 3 panels of what I can compare to one sentence horror stories popularized online. The illustrations and stories are a fun pallet cleanser.
We move right on to Stay In Your Lane (Written by Dave Cook, art by David Cousens, colors by Angel De Santiago, letters by Nathan Kempf, and edited by Caroline Butler). This short tale tells the story of Old Dan. Old Dan was a legend of the local bowling alley who turned pro in the 70’s. Unfortunately, he had an accident, rumored to be a drunk driving incident, that crippled his hands.
Even with that misfortune Old Dan still showed up and bowled in a local league weekly. One week a couple of pro talent scouts came to the alley to scout talent. They chose another bowler, and that was the last choice they would make. This story has gore and deals with what happens when someone has lost too much. The art is amazing, and the storytelling is on point.
MORE SIKTC!
We then get the first of the two featured stories, but we’ll come back to that, because the short after is The Siren. It’s entirely created by Sarah Andersen. The Siren is 3 pages long but packs a full story with its art & limited words. A lighthouse keeper is being lured by a Siren, but he knows not to take the bait. However, the choice may not be his to make.
The final short is titled The Foster (Written by Steve Orlando, art by A.L Kaplan, colors by Marissa Louise, letters by Jodie Troutman, and edited by Daivd Mariotte). The Foster tells the tale of Ben, who has a donor hand surgically attached to his stomach to keep it alive & healthy until someone needs it.
This kind act gets Ben a lot of attention, or should I say the hand a lot of attention. Ben’s jealousy takes over and leads to a drastic result. This story is strange, but very good. Just when you think you know how it’s going to end, Steve Orlando pulls the rug from beneath you. I also really enjoyed the art and coloring of this story. It reminded me of the style of the original Creepshow movie.
SIKTC Enters the Fray
Now that I’ve covered all the short stories, let’s dive into the 2 main stories. First up is SIKTC “A Monster Hunter Walks Into A Bar”: Part One. The SKITC team is all here as this story is written by James Tynion IV, illustrated by Werther Dell’Edera, colored by Miquel Muerto, letters by Andworld Design, and edited by Maya Bollinger, Ramiro Portnoy, & Eric Harburn.
The story opens with a familiar face, as Erica Slaughter is walking through the snow in a small town. She enters a bar for some food and drink. The bartender would then tell her about the kid killings. This part one is a good set up to what should be a promising spinoff story from one of comics’ best series.
The War Begins
The last of the 2 main stories of this debut issue is The War: Part One. This story is written by Garth Ennis, illustrated by Becky Cloonan, colors by Tamra Bonvillain, letters by Pat Brosseau, and edited by Bryce Carlson. The War: Part One kicks off in an apartment with a group of friends talking about the Ukraine – Russia war. They all have different takes and concerns about what’s going on.
Nikki is pregnant with David’s child, and one can’t help thinking that the pregnancy isn’t the only underlying thing in Nikki & David’s life. Before we get a chance to find out more about them, the world is turned upside down in the last panel. This story does a great job of bringing real world situations and concerns in, only to hit you with a final panel cliffhanger that makes you want to know what’s next.
Covers To Die For
Not only does Hello Darkness #1 have great stories and art between the pages, but it also has killer cover art as well! The main cover features art by Paolo Rivera, which features some amazing detail and sets the tone of what this book packs inside. If that wasn’t enough there are variant covers by Jenny Frison, Suspiria Vilchez, and Peach Momoko.
Final Thoughts
Hello Darkness #1 is an awesome first issue, filled with great stories. Anthology books can be complicated to put together because of all the variables. However, BOOM! hit a homerun with Hello Darkness. The book is laid out perfectly. It takes you on a ride and leaves you wanting more. The mixture of the short “grindhouse” type stories that start and wrap up right now, with the 2 main stories that will keep you coming back for issues to come, is spectacular. The art is amazing and different in every story. The writing explores all types of horror and never feels repetitive. I can’t wait for issue 2 and beyond!
My Grade: 9.5/10
For more of my content, make sure to check out 3fnpodcast.com and Subscribe to Nerd Initiative YouTube for episodes of Turn a Page and Wrestling Night Live! Later! Comic! Fans!
