Comic Book Review: Cry Havoc #1 (Cry Havoc #1) by Simon Spurrier

Cry Havoc #1 (Cry Havoc #1) by Simon Spurrier (story), Ryan Kelly (art, cover), and Emma Price (cover)

Publisher: Image Comics

Publication Date: January 27, 2016

Edition: Paperback, 32 pages

Genre: Comic, Dark Fantasy

Rating: 4.5/5 Rating

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Werewolf \\m//

Backcover:

BEHOLD THE MODERN MONSTROSITY.

X-Men Legacy writer SIMON SPURRIER and superstar artist RYAN KELLY present fiends, fragility, and firepower in an all-new series, mixing the hard-boiled militaria of Jarhead with the dark folklore of Pan’s Labyrinth.

Includes an unprecedented use of multiple colorists (MATT WILSON, LEE LOUGHRIDGE, & NICK FILARDI) to define the story’s threads, and an incredible variant cover by Eisner Award winner CAMERON STEWART.

This is not the tale of a lesbian werewolf who goes to war. Except it kind of is.

This was a comic where I saw the cover and thought, “Damn, I have to read that. NOW.” I was drawn to that wicked looking werewolf on the cover, but it was when I opened it up that I became more impressed. Already in the first issue I was sensing the beginning of a complex plot, along with great dialog and a… unique… cast or characters.

Louise Canton shows up a little late the zoo, where her girlfriend works, to bring her lunch. She finds her sitting in front of a wolf’s cage – this wolf has been separated from the rest because she had eaten her sister. They chat a little, but Lou’s girlfriend has to head off back to work, but first says she might be at her gig later tonight. Before Lou heads off to that, she decided to play some music on the streets to get some extra money. It at this time that some very strange happens…

And that very strange things leads to her ending up in a chopper landing in Afghanistan with a group of unique individuals – some sort of “special” tasks force. Their mission there is to retrieve a hostel civilian employee. However, something happens during that mission….

That leads her to being locked up in a cage, bloodied and bruised, and being mocked and tormented.

As my synopsis has three separate plots, so does the story; it is told in a “beginning”, “middle” and “end” section. The issue actually starts off with “end” with Lou being mocked in the cage, and from there goes to “beginning” in the park, and then after their meeting, goes the chopper in “middle”. It may seem like it would be slightly confusing, having three separate plots – even thought they are part of the same plot line, just different times – there was no confusion at all.

Firstly, what I thought was a neat trick, is you know what part of the timeline it is based off of what color borders each of the panels. And each of the panels is also, ever so slightly, tinted like that color – red, blue, or yellow.

Second, was how much information is packed into each of these three plots. It was not a comic spit into three, so you get a third of the depth for each plot. Oh, no, no, no. Nothing felt skimped out on, and when I finished, I was shocked with how satisfied I felt with each of the plots. Granted it is only the first issue, but I think this is going to be a plot heavy series.

The last reason these multiple plots worked so well, was because they are all on the same story line. The story stats off with an amazing hook of Lou trapped – like an animal – in cage, when the story cuts to “beginning” where Lou is a happy, if a struggling musician, who is in love with her girlfriend. So how did she get to the cage? You know something must have happen, because she somehow ends up in the chopper, where the she has to help them find that civilian. And in return for her help, they will help rid her of her “problem”. And then, it is from that mission, she gets in the cage.

So, in a sense, you know what the “beginning” and “middle” plot lines lead to – but what they lead to is so drastically different, they you have no idea how they could connect! And, unlike other stories that use the trick where they show the end first and start form the begining and lead up, is looks like “end” is actually going to be a continuing storyline too.

I’ll be honest, the art did not blow me away like the cover did, but I do think it is amazing, and the colored panels and slight tint that comes with it, adds an amazing effect and feel.

What I did think was as ever more amazing than the cover art was the dialog. None of that stupid, one or two sentence crap; there were full on conversations going on, and it was because of that I was able to get a grasp on how diverse all are character are, and how complex I believe this series is going to get.

In case you didn’t realize it by now – from the cover, my title, the synopsis, and various hints I’ve been dropping through my review – Lou gets bitten and becomes a werewolf. Does that special task force of unique characters make more sense? Along with her being locked up in a cage? Does it makes you want to read the series more? Don’t forget: “[Cry Havoc] is not the tale of a lesbian werewolf who goes to war. Except it kind of is.” 😛

As of me writing this review, I already have issue #2 picked up and ready to read.

4.5/5 Rating

-DJ

Date Read: 03/12/2016
Review Written: 03/12/2016