Empty Man - Boom Studios
Empty Man is one of the eeriest comic books I have read in
quite some time. From the opening scene, a flashback to a religious revival
meeting, set in a converted gas station in Arkansas, there was a sense of
uneasiness. The pastor, Reverend Markoff, speaks of healing and faith before a
small congregation of veiled women, vacant children, and men in overalls. A
bizarre image on the back wall and a bible with a trio of overlapping triangles
pointing downwards, add a sense of foreboding, creepiness and an unsettling atmosphere. Empty
Man jumps ahead five years (the story timeline jumps throughout) where a
brutal, mysterious “disease” called The Empty Man has plagued and terrified the
country.
This is where are two main characters are introduced; Special
Agents Jensen and Langford of the FBI-CDC are investigating the latest incident
of Empty Man. This is shown in gory, suggestive detail in a shocking quick-cut
of panels while being narrated by Detective Langford. Langford spares no
expense giving the reader details of the gruesome history of the disease and
provides insight on just how uneasy the country has become in the aftermath of
the incidents.
Empty Man is reminiscent of a good horror film, creepy,
terrifying and just plain strange. I have to say I enjoyed the story, but was
not a fan of the flashback scenes, at least not at first. Flashback scenes, in
my opinion, tend to make the beginning of a story a bit confusing. But as I
continued reading, they became an integral part of the story. In the building
of this story, the artwork becomes crucial; artist Vanessa Del Rey does not
disappoint, her style brings the book eerily to life. It may seem a little
rough around the edges, but by drawing the book full of shadows, it creates the
effect that something could always be lurking somewhere in the darkness.
Overall, I enjoyed the first few issues and look forward to
reading more.
- barbie66
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