Where Monsters Dwell #1

by Kalem Lalonde on May 28, 2015

Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Russ Braun

Among the slew of Secret Wars tie-ins this week, we’re given Garth Ennis’ grand return to Marvel. I never knew what this comic was about but I didn’t need to because Ennis is one of my favourite writers. He always stand out from the rest with his wacky ideas and powerful understanding of humanity. Where Monsters Dwell sets itself apart from the rest of the Secret Wars tie-ins with its first page. Where Monsters Dwell barely ties into Secret Wars and works perfectly on its own as a fun, adventure book. It truly is no surprised that I loved this comic.

As always, Ennis fills his characters with great traits and charm. Our protagonist, Kaufman is a complete scumbag. Dishonest, immoral, selfish Kaufman really should be completely hateable and to some extent he is. But Ennis is so good at injecting charm into characters that readers really should hate. Kaufman really proves himself to be a bad man but his quick-witted dialogue and charming presence make him a fantastic lead.

In any other comic, he would be the standout character but Ennis tops him with his female lead, Clementine. She’s introduced as a naïve and foolish girl that seemed quite typical. However, once the action started taking charge, she did as well. She became the leader of the expedition and knew exactly what to do while being attacked by dinosaurs. She obviously had ulterior motives for boarding the plane with Kaufmann, adding a great mystery to the character. Ennis’ leads could steal the show on their own but their strong chemistry makes it even better.

Where Monsters Dwells feels like a great combination of Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones. We have a pulpy, adventure feel told with an island full of dinosaurs. The premise is strong and Ennis taps into its potential by taking us on an awesome adventure that doesn’t feel the need to take itself seriously. The fact that this comic was so good without the dinosaurs appearing until the end makes me even more excited for the future of this series.

Russ Braun joins Ennis on this grand adventure and completely nails it. His scratchy style distinguishes itself from other Marvel artist while maintaining the same quality you would expect from a big event tie-in. His great action drove the latter half of this comic into greatness as Braun proves himself as a strong asset for this series’ success. Here’s hoping Braun remains on the title for its short lifespan.

Where Monsters Dwell really distinguishes itself from all of other Secret Wars tie-ins in its first issue. Really, this should not have been billed as a tie-in because it never even mentions Battleworld. However, this really works for the comic because it wouldn’t fit very well into Battleworld. This is a fun adventure with planes and dinosaurs told through two great protagonists and awesome art. Garth Ennis never fails to disappoint and this comic proves its worth with one issue. This is a series to look out for. 
 

Our Score:

9/10

A Look Inside