The Good
When Evil Ernie first came around, I didn't give the character a chance. With Dynamite Entertainment and Jesse Blaze Snider relaunching the character, I figured why not give it a try this time. Gone are the previous ties to Lady Death. Seeing Ernie's origin from the beginning makes an interesting story.
There's no shying away from the violence or graphic nature of this comic. It all begins before Ernie was even born. You immediately get the sense that there is a bigger picture going on. There are other forces reaching out towards Ernie. Whether they're good or evil remains to be seen.
Despite seeing his origin and the birth of the "Evil" Ernie we're familiar with, there is an element of mystery. We see the events unfold but there is clearly more to the story than we're seeing. This allows the story to move forward but gives you enough of a hook to make you curious what the whole story is. On the surface, Ernie may seem evil but there's the possibility that either other forces are working through him or perhaps his is just misguided in his thinking. Either way, there is a reason he is changed and that will be part of the fun of the series.
The Bad
The art isn't quite what I expected it to be compared to the previous images of Evil Ernie I've seen. That's good as it gives a different feel but there were some moments where some of panels felt off a little. There was one scene in particular where Ernie's head and expression stuck out when he has a vision.
This is only the first issue and the air of mystery is good but what happens to Ernie feels almost too sudden and we don't get the whole story behind the connection between the warden at the prison and Ernie's foster father. We can assume we'll find out next issue but it's a little odd. Also, there is the question as to how Ernie is able to have a certain item when we see his first encounter with his foster father in this issue.
The Verdict
Whether you're completely familiar with Evil Ernie or this is your first time, this is the place to find out who he is now. This isn't just a simple retelling of his origin as we're seeing some new elements and twists added to the character. You'll immediately get the feeling that there is more to Evil Ernie than there appears. The bits of mystery as to why he becomes the character we're familiar with will pull you into the story and get you hooked. Evil Ernie is now on my radar and I am very curious to see where this is going to go.