Review: Crashing #1
IDW Publishing has a new series out - Crashing #1 is out now. Check out my thoughts below.
Rose Osler is a specialist. Her focus? Patients with Powers… at a hospital with a No Powered Patients policy. When a battle between Boston’s protectors and destroyers erupts, Rose is trapped between saving the city’s beloved hero by day and greatest villain at night. Except Rose could become a casualty when she’s forced to risk her recovery. As Rose pushes past her limits to save everyone else, will she be able to save herself?
Writer: Matthew Klein, Cover: Artist Morgan Beem, Colorist: Triona Farrell, Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Variant Cover Artist: Jorge Corona & Variant Cover Artist: Liana Kangas
This story starts with an exciting concept. What about those responders who deal with not only the outcome of superhero/villain battles but also those who have to patch them up?
The mayhem of the emergency room is on full show here, with chaos and discovery. I’ve watched enough A&E programs and spent some time in them to understand this feeling, which is well shown here.
We are introduced to Rose, who has some skill in dealing with powered patients. This is a detriment to the hospital's policies, but Rose feels that she must do what she can. This is shown here with two injured powered individuals, and as we work through this, we discover that Rose has her own problems.
There are some addiction problems here, and the temptation to relapse is shown to be very strong here, as Rose has her own demons to battle - not only from the addiction but from something in her past.
I liked how deeply his first issue delves into the world and Rose’s problems. She wants to do the right thing, but that looks to be taking her down a dark path. The twists and turns to the end of the issue are well played out and add something different to the story that can be built on and added to.
I enjoyed the art - not only does it show the mayhem of the hospital, but also the trouble Rose has been in and may be getting in. The combination of this with the colouring and lettering creates something very special. A good read, with something to tease for issue #2.