Colder #1

Reece Talbot is a nurse who shares an apartment with a rather unique live-in patient, he’s known simply as Declan. Declan has no past records and lives his life in a catatonic like state, to make things even more bizarre his skin is ice cold with a body temperature of 47 degrees. He’s a medical anomaly and a total enigma to nurse Talbot. Adding to the mystery is a strange individual called Nimble Jack, a being who sucks the souls out of his victims and shares a past with Declan.  Does nurse Talbot care for her patient? Or has her curiosity taken over her judgment?

The Team

Written by Paul Tobin (Doctor Doom & the Masters of Evil, Prepare To Die!, The Bionic Woman Vol. 1 TP) & illustrated & cover by Juan Ferreyra (Rex Mundi Omnibus Vol. 1, Solomon Kane Vol. 2 : Death’s Black Riders). Published by Dark Horse Comics.

The Pros & Cons

We’re past Halloween, but Dark Horse doesn’t seem to be slowing down when it comes to new and exciting horror comics and Colder is no exception. The lunatics have definitely taken over the asylum as this one has it all, dimension hopping, a soul eating maniac, madmen, medical impossibilities & a captivating mystery. I was pulled right into this story from the get go, when you start your story in a burning insane asylum, you know you're in for a wild ride. Like another disturbing horror comic like Locke & Key, this story takes place in Massachussetts, with its old mausoleum looking houses and New England history of witchcraft & sorcery, it makes a great setting for a creepy horror tale. The protagonist of the story is Declan, who’s dead like state is the focus of this story and his rival is Nimble Jack, a weird soul eater with an appetite and a Joker like grin that’s as cold as Declan’s skin.

Writer Paul Tobin sets up the first issue with just the right tone of horror, tension & mystery. The beginning is insane and when the characters are introduced, I got sucked in immediately. Nimble Jack’s an interesting would be villain with an intriguing past, I can’t wait to see this nutjob’s origin unfold. Illustrator Juan Ferreyra’s past credits include Rex Mundi, a series I’m told is very good. From what I’ve seen so far, he’s got some impressive drawing skills, the full page illustration of the asylum burning with the crazies going ape shit is simply striking. But that cover is what drew me to this comic, talk about creepy!

The Outcome

Now this might be a little premature considering this was just the first issue and all, but if you’re a horror fanatic like me and you’d like something new & fresh then by all means dig in, you won’t regret it.