Review: Breath of Shadows #1
From IDW Publishing
A dark new series starting this week from IDW Publishing. This is Breath of Shadows #1.
It’s the mid-1960s, and Jimmy Meadows should be on top of the world. His band’s most recent album just went gold, and they’re riding a wave to international fame. But Jimmy is driven by only one thing: where to get his next fix. With his band at the end of their ropes and his life falling apart, Jimmy thinks he may be finished—until a friend tells him about a controversial method deep in the jungles of South America that can help him kick his addiction for good. But is clean living actually in Jimmy’s future, or will he instead unleash horrors beyond his wildest nightmares? A new expedition into the heart of horror from Rich Douek and Alex Cormack, the team behind Road of Bones and Sea of Sorrows!
by Rich Douek (Author), Alex Cormack (Artist)
Starting in a dark place, this takes us through some rock and roll times in the ’60s. It’s not all flowers and being happy, and this comic straddles the line between what we know and the dark underbelly of the scene. Using this fictional band, there are some good references to the culture at the time, with ‘finding yourself’ addiction and flower power.
The commentary in the background is very interesting, with some good snarky comments about the band and the management around it.
Of course, there is more to it than that, and this issue builds up the cast well, as we get not only the band but also management, guides and more. This comic does an excellent job of getting us connected. All the while, it hints at the darkness to come.
This first issue brings them together nicely as we prepare for what is to come. The characters are well-rounded, with some good moments as we look deeper into their thoughts. As a beginning, this is excellent, as we have moments of calm, but we know there are darker times to come.
I really enjoyed the art - the addiction scenes and what comes with them are pretty creepy, and there is ample opportunity for the artist to work with character moments and different scenes and locations. We move from offices to the jungle, with some good travel moments between.
This was a dark beginning, with some well-played-out introductions to an even darker tale.