Goners #1
Not gone just yet.
Writer: Jacob Semahn (Co-Creator)
Artist: Jorge Corona (Co-Creator)
Publisher: Image
The promo line for this book was "Goonies meets Hellboy" and, I see that, but I also see the potential for a lot more than that, if done correctly. This first issue comes close to that too, but, ultimately, falls a little short.
Semahn and Corona introduce us to the Latimer family in this first issue of their new Image published "Goners". The Latimers, from what I can gather, are a family of supernatural defenders? Warriors? Something of that sort, anyways, who protect the mortal world from the evils of the dark worlds living in parallel to ours, I think. They've been doing it for a long time, too. But now, they're under attack, and they're not winning. The fate of both the human world and the Latimer's family name is in question.
Semahn packs a lot into this first issue but also doesn't really say much. It's an interesting concept, one that has the right mix of dark and pulpy coolness to work, but it doesn't have enough substance here yet. We're introduced to a lot of characters, but none of them fully, I'm not even sure if I could name any of them right now and I read this issue earlier today. There's a great tone established, though, in place of the lackluster character introductions. It's clear that this will be a fun, dark, mysterious and magical story but, it doesn't really progress in any interesting ways just yet. I'm intrigued, I see that there's potential to make you care about this family, especially the youngest two, but there's not really anything more than that intrigue, chalk it up to it being a first issue I'm thinking.
Corona's art is fun, quick, and innocent. The mythical and fantastic feeling is nailed perfectly and if this is supposed to be the world seen by the child characters, it's good. The monster designs, especially in the very last panel, are cool, in the best sense of the word. There's something about how it's all presented though, that makes me feel like this isn't the most harmonious book it could be. I'm left wondering if this book is SUPPOSED to be innocent feeling, which I think that it is considering it's going to focus on detective-like children, or if there's some kind of imbalance taking place between the art and the scripting. I can't rightly tell if this is supposed to be a dark, mysterious story or if it's supposed to be a fun, fantastical but kind of spooky one, and that's mostly because of the difference between the art and the story. I'm open to it, still, and I want to see where the second issue goes but, as it stands right now, I'm not blown away like I thought I would be.
It's always hard to judge a first issue, especially so, when it's one that relies heavily on establishing a mystery. Ultimately, you won't be blown away by Goners, and you may want to wait til the second or third issue to hop on, but there is a real potential here for a good story. It just needs to decide if it's here or there, not somewhere inbetween.
Writer: Jacob Semahn (Co-Creator)
Artist: Jorge Corona (Co-Creator)
Publisher: Image
The promo line for this book was "Goonies meets Hellboy" and, I see that, but I also see the potential for a lot more than that, if done correctly. This first issue comes close to that too, but, ultimately, falls a little short.
Semahn and Corona introduce us to the Latimer family in this first issue of their new Image published "Goners". The Latimers, from what I can gather, are a family of supernatural defenders? Warriors? Something of that sort, anyways, who protect the mortal world from the evils of the dark worlds living in parallel to ours, I think. They've been doing it for a long time, too. But now, they're under attack, and they're not winning. The fate of both the human world and the Latimer's family name is in question.
Semahn packs a lot into this first issue but also doesn't really say much. It's an interesting concept, one that has the right mix of dark and pulpy coolness to work, but it doesn't have enough substance here yet. We're introduced to a lot of characters, but none of them fully, I'm not even sure if I could name any of them right now and I read this issue earlier today. There's a great tone established, though, in place of the lackluster character introductions. It's clear that this will be a fun, dark, mysterious and magical story but, it doesn't really progress in any interesting ways just yet. I'm intrigued, I see that there's potential to make you care about this family, especially the youngest two, but there's not really anything more than that intrigue, chalk it up to it being a first issue I'm thinking.
Corona's art is fun, quick, and innocent. The mythical and fantastic feeling is nailed perfectly and if this is supposed to be the world seen by the child characters, it's good. The monster designs, especially in the very last panel, are cool, in the best sense of the word. There's something about how it's all presented though, that makes me feel like this isn't the most harmonious book it could be. I'm left wondering if this book is SUPPOSED to be innocent feeling, which I think that it is considering it's going to focus on detective-like children, or if there's some kind of imbalance taking place between the art and the scripting. I can't rightly tell if this is supposed to be a dark, mysterious story or if it's supposed to be a fun, fantastical but kind of spooky one, and that's mostly because of the difference between the art and the story. I'm open to it, still, and I want to see where the second issue goes but, as it stands right now, I'm not blown away like I thought I would be.
It's always hard to judge a first issue, especially so, when it's one that relies heavily on establishing a mystery. Ultimately, you won't be blown away by Goners, and you may want to wait til the second or third issue to hop on, but there is a real potential here for a good story. It just needs to decide if it's here or there, not somewhere inbetween.
A Look Inside
