Review - University mini brief

Just before Easter we had a lecture from Tony Esmond a comic book review, after this interesting lecture we were given a brief to write a review of a comic we read recently. I chose Survivors Club, this is my review I hope you like it and intrigues you to check out this comic as-well. 

Review- survivors club

STORY BY

Lauren Beukes, Dale Halvorsen      

Cover to issue #1 by Bill Sienkiewicz

ART BY

Ryan Kelly

COLORS BY

Eva De La Cruz

LETTERS BY

Clem Robins

COVER BY

Bill Sienkiewicz

PUBLISHER

Vertigo

COVER PRICE

$3.99 (USD)

RELEASEd

Oct 7th, 2015

According to the solicitation for this first issue, the plot goes something like this: 

“Having found each other over the internet, six grown-up survivors are drawn together by the horrors they experienced in 1987 when a rash of occult events occurred around the world—with fatal results. Now, there are indications that it may be happening all over again. Is it possible that these six aren’t just survivors—but were chosen for their fates?”

Lauren Beukes (author of the book shining girls) and Dale Halvorsen (who best known for his illustrations as Joey-hifi) basic premise is intriguing and delivers on execution with the help of Ryan Kelly’s penciling.

The cover is by Bill Sienkiewicz a legend in the comic book world for his abstract painting style. That is exactly what he does here with our first introduction to the Main character of this particular issue although he doesn’t reveal her face he does better, he shows us her hands which have some symbols on them. Right away that drags you in (it did me) as to who is this character? And what is with these symbols? 

Bill was the right choice as his abstract cover gives you the sense that this comic has a bigger mystery behind it similar to the X-files covers from the 1995-98 comics which had that eerie unnatural feel. That’s the feeling I get from 

A cover from the x-files comic’s eerie covers compared to Bill’s cover from survivors club

They introduce us to the six characters, each with a mysterious or horrific past that effects them to this day. This is a positive as it gives Lauren and Dale a lot to explore from demonic video games to an entity only seen in the reflection. However this could have been a mess to explore in just one issue, but Lauren pulls it off with two double page spreads the first with the introduction of the six ‘survivors’ around the panels there are subtle clues to their back story and what bad thing happened to them in 1987. The other page spread gives you more of a feel of what really happened to them. Although there are six survivors one survivor’s horror is explained ‘Chenzira Molenko’ this gives you the status quo that she is the main character of this saga.

Ryan Kelly’s art is consistent as ever, bring Lauren and Dale’s story to life with his realistic figure drawing, although the characters are mostly sat talking he makes them engaging but it’s during the flashbacks when Kelly and colorist Eva Da La Cruz really cut loose and show us why this is a horror comic. By filling these panels with so much emotion and as the story gets darker so does the art and pencils. Some may argue that the colors are too bright for a horror comic but I feel that the color scheme is perfect for the tone they are trying to set as for this first issue it has more of a mystery, ‘x-files’ kind of vibe that hopefully over time will develop that horror that’s been hinted at.They create the scene of a 1970s horror movie during the Flashbacks.      

   

So is it any good?

Survivors club #1 is an enjoyable first issue that has potential in the coming issues with a well-paced story that reveals just enough of the characters past to keep you wanting more, especially with the mystery behind who is this ‘Mr empty’. With Kelly’s pencils and Eva’s colors creating a 1970s Horror movie vibe if they continue with this style and tone they could really bring Lauren and Dale’s grand story to life. I full recommend this issue but with a warning that if you are going to read this you will need to read the rest of the series as this first issue gives the hints that each issue will be paramount to the story.   

Page 1 from Survivors club #1 illustrating Kelly and Eva's ability to create realistic and mind bending horror in there pages.  

double page spread I mentioned earlier from Survivors club #1 highlighting Kelly and Eva’s ability’s at constructing an engaging page layout and highlighting clues to the hidden history behind these six 'survivors'

Lauren Beukes: website: http://laurenbeukes.com/
                          Twitter: @laurenbeukes 

Dale Halvorsen (Joey HiFi):  Website: http://www.alexandersband.com/joey-hifi 
                                               Twitter: @JoeyHiFi

Ryan Kelly: Website: funrama.tumblr.com
                    Twitter:  @funrama

Available for purchase from:

http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/survivors-club-2015/survivors-club-1