Advance Review: The Cull #1 (of 5)

Thanks to the proliferation of indie books, that some would say started with Image, a whole raft of previously recognised Big Two creators have jumped into the creator owned character pool.  Step up Kelly Thompson, fresh from a hugely successful run on Captain Marvel and her first indie book, Black Cloak, who now looks to broaden her scope!

Five friends decide to shoot a film at a forbidden local landmark, in a kind of good-bye to summer and their previous lives before stepping into the rest of their lives.  Think is, one of the friends is lying,   It’s a mix of different genres from Stranger Things, Gremlins and Super 8.

Kelly Thompson had a distinctive style when. it came to Carol Danvers.  From Black Cloak and now here, her style has changed, at least when it comes to super powers and humour.  Regardless Thompson’s writing looks to evolve from action to drama, although their is still a level of banter that is appropriate in a small group of friends, hence the Gremlins inference, maybe even a touch of Dawson’s Creek.  First issues are always a little difficult to judge, on one hand there is the table setting, on the other there is sometimes a lack of movement.  In this instance. there is a lot going on, though it appears that it may take a while to get a full peek behind the curtains.  Patience will win the day.

The art and colors from Mattia De Iulis, who you may have seen on a raft of Marvel books including Captain America and Star Wars, is gorgeous!  With the book centred on relationships, De Iulis spends a lot of time on the facial aspect of the art, which pays dividends.  In addition De Iulis also delivers on the scenery and backgrounds creating a range of environments that are simply stunning, from the darkness of sleeping on a couch to the shadows of the beach at night!  Letters are supplied by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, a letterer whose work is always fantastic across a range of publishers.  I mean he must be good, he has a cover credit!  Well done Image.

As you may know, I am a huge Kelly Thompson fan.  Her recent transformation into an indie writer has been a pleasure to read.  With her own characters, there are no rules, anything can happen. Coupled with the stunning art from De Iulis, and bringing the various influences into play and Image Comics will have another hit on their hands.

Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars

Overall 5 Stars

Written by; Kelly Thompson
Art & Colors by; Mattia De Iulis
Letters by; Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Published by; Image Comics

The Cull #1 is due to hit shops on Aug 16th