I'd like to start by apologising to anyone who enjoyed the first issue of The Wake (Snyder and Murphy, Vertigo Comics).
I did not enjoy it and here is why.
From the very start of this experience I had a sense of worry as the cover wreaked of a Deep Blue Sea and Hannibal Lecter mash up. As you turn the page you are greeted by what can only be described as a holiday brochure for somewhere that resembles a futuristic American Venice-like city. Our blue haired character seems to have a taste for hand-gliding and soars through the building landscape to arrive near a dolphin.
The dolphin reminded me somewhat of the dolphin from Seaquest DSV (for any of you who enjoyed that during the 90's). Suddenly, as we begin to learn of a map or something we are met with a giant tsunami which causes a battery powered Dolphin and his gliding chum to flee in a hurry. Okay so far I think. This could be good I think.
...and then came the next 15 pages.
It was as if someone had taken all the boring features of Free Willy and Jaws and threw them into a black hole causing them to take virtually forever to slowly drift towards a possible end.
They did not end.
As I said it kept going for 15 pages. Our featured protagonist, Dr Archer, seems to enjoy looking at whales whilst trying to damage her relationship with her son over a video call. It's what all mothers want to do with their lives and in particular the type of cheese filling in an 80's movie but not something I expected from this comic. Perhaps a quick touch on it but to drag out the pointless conversation between her and her son literally caused me to snore with my eyes open. It was at this point I had to check the title as the idea of the word wake being in anyway associated with this series seemed absurd. We are then met with several pages where people meet each other. Lots of handshaking (although it's more hygienic if they had all snogged each other instead - less germs and far more interesting) and lots of grins. Always grinning these characters, unless they're not (ha!). Then the best part of this issue arrived, an advert for Superman Unchained.
After I enjoyed the advert I continued in my pursuit for something to value from this comic. Much like the crusading Knights of old in search for the Holy Grail I had to eventually give up and go home. I was already home so instead I just gave up.
Towards the end there is a glimmer of interest in the emergence of what I will be calling the 'Two-Face faced Miner'. Our Dr investigates as to what has caused his face to go all bleugh and it turns out there is a fish in a tank. A fish in a straight jacket in a tank. Like a bad Star Trek alien this creature has all the looks of the nasty end of a Merman, Miner ketchup all over his face and a serious look of contemplation as if he is posing for a fashion magazine.
As I mentioned at the beginning, I don't mean to offend anyone who enjoyed this but for me personally it was really a dreadful waste of money. I saw no promise in the story and no prospect of any whatsoever. Too many starts with no development. For a comic about the water I found it rather dry and wanting.
If you disagree I would love to hear about it.
- Thom
I did not enjoy it and here is why.
From the very start of this experience I had a sense of worry as the cover wreaked of a Deep Blue Sea and Hannibal Lecter mash up. As you turn the page you are greeted by what can only be described as a holiday brochure for somewhere that resembles a futuristic American Venice-like city. Our blue haired character seems to have a taste for hand-gliding and soars through the building landscape to arrive near a dolphin.
The dolphin reminded me somewhat of the dolphin from Seaquest DSV (for any of you who enjoyed that during the 90's). Suddenly, as we begin to learn of a map or something we are met with a giant tsunami which causes a battery powered Dolphin and his gliding chum to flee in a hurry. Okay so far I think. This could be good I think.
...and then came the next 15 pages.
It was as if someone had taken all the boring features of Free Willy and Jaws and threw them into a black hole causing them to take virtually forever to slowly drift towards a possible end.
They did not end.
As I said it kept going for 15 pages. Our featured protagonist, Dr Archer, seems to enjoy looking at whales whilst trying to damage her relationship with her son over a video call. It's what all mothers want to do with their lives and in particular the type of cheese filling in an 80's movie but not something I expected from this comic. Perhaps a quick touch on it but to drag out the pointless conversation between her and her son literally caused me to snore with my eyes open. It was at this point I had to check the title as the idea of the word wake being in anyway associated with this series seemed absurd. We are then met with several pages where people meet each other. Lots of handshaking (although it's more hygienic if they had all snogged each other instead - less germs and far more interesting) and lots of grins. Always grinning these characters, unless they're not (ha!). Then the best part of this issue arrived, an advert for Superman Unchained.
After I enjoyed the advert I continued in my pursuit for something to value from this comic. Much like the crusading Knights of old in search for the Holy Grail I had to eventually give up and go home. I was already home so instead I just gave up.
Towards the end there is a glimmer of interest in the emergence of what I will be calling the 'Two-Face faced Miner'. Our Dr investigates as to what has caused his face to go all bleugh and it turns out there is a fish in a tank. A fish in a straight jacket in a tank. Like a bad Star Trek alien this creature has all the looks of the nasty end of a Merman, Miner ketchup all over his face and a serious look of contemplation as if he is posing for a fashion magazine.
As I mentioned at the beginning, I don't mean to offend anyone who enjoyed this but for me personally it was really a dreadful waste of money. I saw no promise in the story and no prospect of any whatsoever. Too many starts with no development. For a comic about the water I found it rather dry and wanting.
If you disagree I would love to hear about it.
- Thom
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