Review: Basilisk #1

I may not be a big horror fan, but I can appreciate something a little bit supernatural and creepy. Who better than to whet my paranormal whistle than Dark Ark and Harrow County writer Cullen Bunn?

Five individuals walk the Earth, destroying and terrorising small villages in their wake. One of the Chimera, Regan escaped their clutches and decided to remain hidden with her murderous eyes bound, living with her guilt. Now a victim from her past has tracked her down with a mission greater in mind than simple revenge.

Cullen Bunn has spent more than a few years in the comic industry, having worked on a number of books across mainstream and indie books. If truth be told, as good as Bunn can be on superhero books, his spooky indie stuff is way better. Case in point; Basilisk features two strong women, both impacted by the past and both united in a shared vision. The horror element is less than horror and is more in line with a Vertigo vibe. The monologue, at least in the first few panels, is a little pretentious, though I understand the echo of cadence in setting the scene for events later in this issue. I am reminded a little bit of Crimson Avenger in Regan’s look though this is purely superficial with very little substance.

Jonas Scharf is a German artist who has had a number of books published, including some of the recent King in Black tie-ins for Marvel. Here there are a mix of styles in play, each impact the story in different ways. The scenes set in the past have a kind of off kilter look where characters are not really full formed in a traditional sense. Bodies are held in odd angular poses which intimate and encourages the creepy feeling. The art for the present is probably more focused, more standard which acts as a great contrast. Overall, the faintly European art is just different in tone to the American standard that there is an otherworldly to every page. Of course, these various elements are going to clash at some point and colorist Alex Guimaráes excels at differentiating the past from the present, using washed out hues to do so. There is a dark undertone to the colors that even the fantastic blue page can detract. Finally, letterer Ed Dukeshire also gets to mix it up, with a handwriting style font for the monologue and and easy going well spaced out font for the dialogue. Great work all around!

A fun first issue that hints at a deeper mysteries yet to unfurl and with the types of characters and the adult horror, not scary this book could well be a sleeper hit for all involved.

Writing – 4 Stars

Art – 4 Stars

Colors – 5 Stars

Overall – 4.5 Stars

Written by; Cullen Bunn
Art by; Jonas Scharf
Colors by; Alex Guimaráes
Letters by; Ed Dukeshire
Published by; BOOM! Studios

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

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