Skip to main content

Early Comic Book Review: Gideon Falls #1


·         Jeff Lemire (writer)

·         Andrea Sorrentino (artist)

·         Dave Stewart (colorist)

·         Steve Wands (letterer)

"A brand-new ongoing series from the acclaimed bestselling creative team of Old Man Logan and Green Arrow! The lives of a reclusive young man obsessed with a conspiracy in the city’s trash, and a washed-up Catholic priest arriving in a small town full of dark secrets, become intertwined around the mysterious legend of The Black Barn, an otherworldly building that is alleged to have appeared in both the city and the small town, throughout history, bringing death and madness in its wake. Rural mystery and urban horror collide in this character-driven meditation on obsession, mental illness, and faith."


Writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino, a.k.a. the dynamic duo behind Green Arrow and Old Man Logan, are once again teaming up and they’re building something completely new over at Image Comics. Joined by colorist Dave Stewart (Rumble, Black Hammer) and letterer Steve Wands (Descender, Batman), Lemire and Sorrentino once again prove that they’re a creative team with great chemistry and their work should always be added to your pull list.


A good mystery should keep a tight grip on your attention and leave you guessing. Thankfully, that’s exactly what Gideon Falls #1 does. When it comes to the big picture, things aren’t blatantly spelled out or obviously telegraphed for us. When information does need to be presented to us, it’s done in an organic way, like a therapy session. For now, the story’s big on leaving us mostly in the dark and giving us just the bare minimum while raising some big questions, and that’s perfect for the first chapter of a horror-mystery story. I have no idea what to expect from this series, but I do know that it leaves me wanting more. That should say a lot about how the story’s handled.

Visually, this book yanks you right into its mysterious world. The character work and environments are perfect for Lemire’s script because they’re shrouded in darkness and the establishing shots effectively bring you into each new scene. Brightness is used sparingly to divert our focus or create a striking contrast, creating visuals that’ll linger in your mind. Sorrentino’s known for his jaw-dropping layouts and perspectives and Gideon Falls does not disappoint – the guy sure knows how to lead our eyes and give these panels some life.

After reading Gideon Falls #1 twice, its themes are (apparently) clear but I still have no idea what to expect and that’s exactly how a good mystery should be. Thanks to a strong script and visuals that are a perfect fit for the story’s atmosphere, the first chapter of Gideon Falls manages to be gripping without giving away too much. I’m definitely locked in for the second issue and I give this a strong recommendation to anyone who’s a fan of the creative team or craving a new mystery.



Gideon Falls #1 will be available on March 7, 2018. Obviously, I think you should pick it up. See below for a preview of the first issue. Please be sure to follow me on Twitter for more Comic Book Conversations updates!







Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 17, 2018 at 6:22 PM

    Sounds like an interesting comic. Cool review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gregg KatzmanJanuary 22, 2018 at 10:18 AM

      Thanks for reading the review. Hopefully you'll enjoy the comic, too!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 18, 2018 at 11:47 AM

    Cool that you got this comic early, that art looks incredible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gregg KatzmanJanuary 22, 2018 at 10:18 AM

      Thanks, and yes, Andrea Sorrentino and Dave Stewart are terrific.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Comic Book Battles: Green Arrow vs Old Man Logan

For the second edition of Comic Book Battles (click here for the first fight), I thought it would be fun to use two heroes with completely different strengths and tactics: DC's Emerald Archer versus Marvel's Elderly X-Man!   Even in his old age, James ‘Logan’ Howlett, aka Old Man Logan, is tough to drop and he’s a talented brawler; however, his options in a battle are very limited. Oliver Queen, aka Green Arrow, may not be the best fighter in his universe, but he makes up for that with astonishing accuracy and cleverly using a variety of trick arrows that range from sonics to explosives. To better picture the entertaining encounter, imagine this fight takes place in a generic city setting. It’s nighttime, the street’s unpopulated (aside from the two heroes, of course), and they’ve spotted each other from a pretty good distance – let’s say 100 feet or so. This is a completely random encounter, meaning neither hero knows anything about their enemy – they’re from
24 comments
Read more

Comic Book Battles: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs Kraven the Hunter

Sergei Kravinoff, aka Kraven the Hunter, prides himself on being the best hunter in the Marvel Universe. He loves nothing more than the thrill of the hunt and he’s set his sights on Spider-Man, Tigra, Black Panther, Daredevil, Black Widow, Scarlet Spider, and many others. What would happen if this formidable foe bumped into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from the IDW Publishing series, though? Would Kraven’s tactics allow him to defeat the four mutant brothers, or would the Heroes in a Half Shell take down Spidey’s savage villain? Will my favorite team or my favorite villain be left standing when the dust settles? To keep the fight as fair as possible, let’s imagine this encounter takes place in a generic city setting at night and, aside from the combatants, it’s unpopulated. This is a totally random encounter, meaning the two sides know nothing about each other and they’ll have to learn more about what they're facing throughout the brawl. The Ninja Turtles just know that
20 comments
Read more

Comic Book Conversations #9: Andrea Sorrentino

For the ninth edition of Comic Book Conversations, I’m thrilled to welcome Andrea Sorrentino to the interview segment! Best known for his work on Green Arrow, Old Man Logan, Gideon Falls, and I,Vampire, the artist shares details about his creative process, explains why he reads reviews of his work, and gives aspiring artists some great advice. Plus, he offers some insight into one of Old Man Logan’s unforgettable double-page spreads. Now, let’s get to know Andrea a little better! GREGG KATZMAN: When did you realize you wanted to become an artist and what inspired you? ANDREA SORRENTINO: I’ve always liked to draw, since when I was a kid. I clearly remember this drawing I did when I was at the primary school, I think it was an animal in a jungle, and everyone liked it so much that it remained hooked in our room for a while. I think that was the very first push I had to keep drawing. But talking about comics, I’m not sure. I grew up reading Disney comics during
6 comments
Read more