Advance Review: Blackwood #1 (of 4)
In the interest of full disclosure, if I am totally honest, when I heard about this book I thought, “not another Harry Potter clone”. True, there are similarities; young students, a magic school and a murder most horrid. When I put it like that, I am sure you will forgive my initial assumptions. Boy, was I way off the mark.
From page one we are introduced to world that is in quite some trouble, with a character leaving something of a final moments letter, complete with regret and veiled threats. Something is waiting to rise and it seems that the gentleman has been tricked into helping it. Step in a of quartet youngsters, each with their own issues, be it lousy grades or dark history. All that is missing at this point is a snack eating dog! The group unintentionally forms a gang based on a shared dream / nightmare which leads them further into the dark mystery surrounding Blackwood College.
Written by Evan Dorkin, this book has a mix of elements as you would probably expect. There are comedic moments, foreshadowing of the professors, the school and the town itself, the latter including the high number of graveyards within town limits. Dorkin surrounds his group of misfit heroes with a range of characters that you normally find in college. As for the main group, think of elements of The Breakfast Club, without the Simple Minds track and with some horror thrown in. Dorkin’s dialogue works as he sets to establish the various relationships on show.
Veronica Fish is an artist that I like immensely. In the past I have said how much I disliked the change that Batgirl went through during the last year of her New 52 iteration. “Batgirl-ing” became a bit of a trend. Fairly or unfairly, it seemed that Fish, through her work on Spider-Woman, kind of followed in the wake of that trend. What made her stand out from the crowd is that the simpler art style didn’t mean that the art choices were dumbed down. In fact, the level of humour she brought to a character with spider powers was fantastic. Now on this book, without the need to conform to a corporate identity. Fish can ramp up her almost cartoony style to deliver a book that is easy to look at whilst still delivering both the impacts of fractious relationships and the horrors that await the group, the school, the town and possibly the world! Andy Fish, yes they are married, contributes with layouts and finishes.
For a genre that I am not generally fond of this book has impressed me. Where Potter and his gang dealt with wizards, Blackwood has a more earthy feel to it. This then gives the book a bigger horror vibe than a magic one. If the powers that be at Dark Horse know one thing, it is how to do horror well and this book is no exception!
Writing – 4 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Written by; Evan Dorkin
Art by; Veroinca Fish & Andy Fish
Published by; Dark Horse Comics
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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