The Good
Scott Snyder, Sean Murphy, Vertigo. That's really all you need to know.
If you've taken a look at the shelves at comic shops recently, you've likely noticed that we have a lot of the same sort of comics. You can't fault publishers for taking a popular character or concept and building a franchise around it. Readers tend to buy what they know but it's crucial to get those books that fall under the "something different" category. That's what we have here.
With Snyder's recent success on BATMAN and AMERICAN VAMPIRE and Murphy's PUNK ROCK JESUS, it'd be easy for these creators to let their names sell the book but that isn't the case. We get a brand new world and characters with a story that will make you want to know more.
One of the intriguing facets of the book is seeing more than one time period represented. This adds to the intrigue and also gives the story a more epic feel within a few pages.
We are introduced to Lee Archer, a Cetologist, who has been shunned by her peers due to something that happened before. We immediately get a sense of who she is and what she strives for. As the story progresses, we are introduced to more characters and story gets deeper and deeper.
Sean Murphy's art is the stuff you can't get enough of. Each character has a unique look and feel to them and you'll find you want to know their full stories as well. Matt Hollingsworth's colors add to the vibe in setting up the atmosphere for this book. The further you get into the story, the more you can feel that atmosphere changing.
The Bad
We're off to a great start. I can't wait to see more of these characters and the mystery surrounding it all.
The Verdict
Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy have developed a following for their work both separately and together. Seeing the two creators reunite is enough to get readers excited. For a new series with a new concept, THE WAKE does a great job in setting up the story and characters. You almost feel as if Snyder and Murphy are teasing you because we've barely scratched the surface to what must be coming up next. The little we do see of the cast of characters is enough to make you want to see more. You can almost envision the possibilities of this crew investigating whatever mysteries are headed our way. We have a great story with great art and color. It's refreshing being able to read a comic that doesn't follow the traditional comic book formula. Don't wait to pick this issue up.