Bad Thoughts #1 – I Know Too Much, and You Have 9 More Fingers

What if you could look inside someone’s mind and see all the terrible things they’ve said or done? In Bad Thoughts, that’s just a reality of life for Jack Coates. While it can make simple tasks incredibly difficult, it serves him well at Bishop Security. He specializes in dealing with difficult situations and even more dangerous people, but what happens when those you trust most are not all that they seem?

This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Shawn!

Creative Team

Writer: Ande Parks
Artist: Dave Wachter
Color Artist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: AndWorld Design
Cover Artist: Dave Wachter

Writing

Ande Parks absolutely crushed it with this first issue. I was hooked after the first page. Parks lays out some expectations for the readers at the beginning, as they begin to read the issue, only to end with making them question what they thought they knew. The issue kept my attention focused on the story at hand.

Parks crafted heart-pounding action, sensitive moments, and tension all into one single issue. Jack, as a character, feels like an overall good guy with a gift, struggling with how to best use it. He’s a complex character. Not a bad guy, but also perhaps not fully a good guy either. Parks writes the character in a way that you feel the weight he is carrying as if it were your own.

Art

Dave Wachter and Brad Simpson did an amazing job in this issue. Wachter does an amazing job crafting multi-dimensional characters. The characters feel alive and moving rather than just static on the page. Even from the first panel, you can feel the expressions radiating from the characters based on Wachter’s work.

Simpson seems to pick the perfect palette for this issue. He makes exquisite use of shadow as well as muted colors to portray a grittiness and darkness to the story, even in uplifting moments like a romantic night out. I loved the shift in color tones when Jack’s emotions shifted. It worked with Wachter and Park to bring more life to the story

Final Thoughts

This one deserves a spot on your pull list. Parks, Wachter, and Simpson have a hit on their hands. Jack is such a compelling character, and the art team so carefully and professionally contributes to the mood and feeling of the story, helping you feel what the characters feel. What feels like part thriller, part espionage may become more of a psychological thriller before it’s all said and done. I can’t wait to see what this creative team does.

Overall Grade: 10 / 10

Did you like the first issue of Bad Thoughts? Let me know in the comments