Cold Spots #1
Publisher: Image
Story: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Mark Torres
Letters: Simon Bowland
Cover: Mark Torres
A sudden, unexplained frost in the air. An otherworldly figure looms nearby. Is this apparition benevolent or menacing? In Cullen Bunn, Mark Torres, and Simon Bowland’s new series, Cold Spots, things could go either way.
Right away I can tell this series will be mysterious and dark in a very enjoyable way. The first installment leaves the reader with more questions than answers, which is the perfect way to develop a compulsive readership. Why are these apparitions appearing? What is the relationship between the wealthy, aged man and the dodgy detective? Where have the mother and daughter gone? Why did they leave? Is this sudden, new crop of ghosts the sign of something terrible to come?
I am expecting this series to feature a tortured and perhaps embittered soul on a journey of redemption through his latest missing persons case. This is a trope I thoroughly enjoy in all forms of media. Based on this brief introduction I’d say our main character, Mr. Kerr has a great chance of fitting the bill. I also have high expectations for multiple story lines that will eventually converge to tell a deeply interesting story.
They say the devil is in the details, and this comic has all the creepy shadows, glowing eyes, and muted colorscapes you can handle. Every character’s face is a smudged silhouette in a dark corner of Cold Spots. There is deep sadness and regret that fairly leaps off the pages. Even in the few bright spots of a child’s bedroom, eerie drawings in a juvenile hand leave the reader with an uneasy feeling that something is amiss. Mark Torres expertly draws layers of ethereal apparitions over the detailed scenery of suburban homes, stately mansions, and austere motels. Everything appears a little old and a little shabby, adding to the overall gothic feel. Each scene is vivid and clear, despite the murky, shadowy nature of it all.
Though this first issue was short and cryptic, it ends with a pop of violence that terrifies and lures us into anticipating the next issue. My hope is for a longer issue #2 that delves deeper into the plot line and gives us something we can sink our teeth into. This first issue felt like a teaser for something great, we’ll just have to wait to see if the following issues deliver on the chill factor.
Frankie Reads
frankiereads@comicattack.net
