NEWS FROM THE FALLOUT #1 – A THROWBACK IN TERROR

“Then I’ll go back to the twilight zone, Where it’s so strange but it still feels like home” – Tom Jolu

In 1962, a nuclear bomb test in Nevada takes a terrible turn. What escapes becomes the start of something even more sinister. Otis Fallows is the “lucky” survivor of this horrific accident. With every second, things are going from bad to worse. Is there any hop for the U.S. Private to find a haven from the Hell On Earth forming?

Leave it to the co-conspirator behind That Texas Blood to come up with such a story. Add in the incredible imagery from the artist from The Thousand Demon Tree & you have something special. Factor in one of the premier letterers in comics & you have everything for a can’t miss series.

Nerd Initiative got an advance look at NEWS FROM THE FALLOUT #1 by Chris Condon, Jeffrey Alan Love & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. The Final Order Cut-Off for issue #1 is Monday, June 2nd, 2025. 

Here is my *SPOILER FREE* review of the first chapter of the engaging vintage horror story.

LET’S TALK STORY

Condon sets the tone early with a classic build. The brass of the military comes off cold and gruff. Their are fully locked in for what’s at hand. Only one voice senses something is wrong. Readers can feel the fear in Fallows’ voice as the sirens ring out. His demeanor reeks of trepidation. Even as the orders are coming in, his gut instincts are in complete insubordination. The dialogue mimics the blind faith in what the brass is saying. It doesn’t take long to find out how wrong they were.

The explosion goes off with a thunderous boom! At this stage, Condon throws everything into flux. The writing plays the slow burn as the aftermath starts to form. Readers can’t help but be curious at what’s unfolding here. They won’t be prepared for what goes down next. The mood shifts into total fear. Pacing gets elevated to master this new direction. The writing lends itself to past themes that fans should be familiar with. Those themes are timeless & that is never a bad thing. Events come to a screeching halt in the closing moments. It leaves readers with a sense of how they haven’t even scratched the surface behind what is going on here. It’s a true testament on how great Condon’s storytelling skills are.

HOW ABOUT ART & LETTERING?

Fans will catch their jaws hitting the floors with how spectacular the art is here. Love crafts a true vintage tone that holds strong. The use of shading can’t be understated here. It takes a simplistic office scene and makes it more sinister. Readers can see this technique flourish when the Corporal is on page. Fallows’ presentation is without bells and whistles. This may be to convey how he is the good soul amongst the devilish military brass. These pages build up towards the true turning point of this story.

A gorgeous two page splash shows the devastating test’s failure. What follows is a very extreme pivot in direction. One major element in play here is the astonishing lettering of Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Readers watch as his impact can’t be ignored. Shocking pages become much more frightening. This moves events into a heightened sense of panic. Love’s art excels in these moments. Even as events start winding down, the sense of danger never is out of range. This bleeds into the closing pages. The parting shot leaves nothing to chance as far as a choice to continue reading. You can’t walk away from what’s cooking here.

OVERALL GRADE: 9.7/10

A throwback to classic horror & sci-fi storytelling is set to become a hit for fans in this modern age. Condon’s writing brings the world of Otis Fallows to an unsettling frenzy. Love’s phenomenal imagery with Otsmane-Elhaou’s extraordinary lettering is the perfect combo to present the vision of this dangerous time. Get ready for for an amazing ride in the making within these pages.

Let me know your thoughts on News From The Fallout series in the comments below. Thanks to Image Comics for the advance look & thank YOU for reading! CLICK HERE FOR MORE CONTENT FROM KEN