Deep Beyond #01

Deep Beyond #01

Image Comics 2021

Written by Mirka Andolfo

Illustrated by Andrea Broccardo

Coloured by Barbara Noscenzo

Lettered by David Goy

In an underpopulated future Earth, devastated by the dire consequences of the millennium bug, the survival of mankind—and, maybe, of the planet itself—is handled by a small number of people. Talented scientists who, despite the adverse situation and the stupid feuds that continue to divide the small number of people still alive, try to understand and study what is hidden in the depths of the abyss. Something mysterious and dangerous, which could eventually cause an even worse and more destructive catastrophe!

Well Mirka has certainly emerged as one of today’s hottest storytellers with a wide range of genres and characters. While she’s only writing this one it does showcase that she has such a vivid imagination and has the talent and skill to bring her vision to life through words. I am completely and utterly impressed with the premise of the story and how this first issue manages to capture the readers’ imagination as it engages them in such an immense way. I found myself thinking so much about what might have happened and how things could have gotten to the point where we are first introduced to the story.

I am a huge fan of the way that this is being told. The story & plot development we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well. There is something about the way that we see the events unfold here that doesn’t answer any questions but raises a list that would fit into a phonebook and I think this is part of the reason it is so successful. The character development is interesting and while it appears we only get a snapshot of the characters and we all know first impressions are everything it does mean that there’s still so much more to learn about these folks. The intrigue factor here is off the charts and this is just one more reason to be excited by the story. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages introducing us the characters, this world and where they belong in it we are thrust into this head first with no net.

With how we see this being structured and how the layers within the story emerge we are brought into this like, “we now return you to your regularly scheduled program already in progress.” With how we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow is absolutely delightful.

The interior artwork here is absolutely stunning. The linework that we see through how the varying weights are being utilised to create the detail work is sensational! While I love how the straight linework is utilised I do wish we’d see a few more techniques being utilised as well to add just a bit more dimension to the work. The way that backgrounds are being utilised throughout really does enhance the moments and bring us this really great depth perception, sense of scale as well as the overall sense of size and scope to the book. That there are so few panels without backgrounds makes me think that Andrea really understands how important they are to making a story so much stronger and more dynamic. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows a remarkably talented eye for storytelling. The colour work is utterly gorgeous! Not only are the colour choices inspired but how we see the various hues and tones within them being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work really shows an understanding of how colour works.

I think we are in a new renaissance in the comics industry and that there are a plethora of creators like these folks who want and need to bring us new, original and incredibly well told books. This is exciting and if you are among the few who having picked this up yet, you’d better work fast before it’s completely sold out.