CHARRED REMAINS #1, by Mad Cave Studios on 12/13/23, embarks on a fiery nightmare about a demon arsonist who wants to watch the world burn and the one victim who won’t rest until she stops him.
The Details
- Written by: Anthony Cleveland
- Art by: Andrea Mutti
- Colors by: Andrea Mutti
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Maan House (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: December 13, 2023
Is CHARRED REMAINS #1 Good?
Anthony Cleveland brings us another tale of supernatural suspense about a woman determined to hunt down the fire demon who destroyed her life in CHARRED REMAINS #1. If you’re a fan of urban legend horror ala Candyman (1992), you’re in for a treat.
Set in New Orleans, Cleveland’s story centers on Amy, a homeless woman who struggles against the trauma of a fire from her childhood and the demonic force she witnessed at the heart of it all – the Fire Man. Now, Amy watches and waits for reports of fires around the city in the hope of proving the Fire Man is real as the first step in stopping him.
If the names Anthony Cleveland and Andrea Mutti sound familiar, that’s because we’ve reviewed their work on other titles on this site. Cleveland wrote the creepily eclectic series Show’s End, and Mutti most recently collaborated on the Cullen Bunn series A Legacy Of Violence.
What’s great about CHARRED REMAINS #1? We love horror, and we especially love urban legend horror, so Cleveland’s latest creation about a demon who lives to burn is right up our alley. To Cleveland’s credit, the setup is clean and clear, the monster’s impact is as emotionally devastating as it is physically painful, and Cleveland’s character work is solid. The primary goal of a first issue is to hook the reader, and Cleveland succeeded.
What’s not so great about CHARRED REMAINS #1? Storywise, there’s nothing of note that’s a down point. Cleveland covers all the writing basics and crafts a “monster in the closet” story that works.
How’s the art? Andrea Mutti’s watercolor style is an acquired taste for some, but this is the sharpest and cleanest work we’ve seen from Mutti to date. The burning characters are gut-wrenching, and Mutti’s expertise in portraying shock through the eyes of the characters is mesmerizing.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s CHARRED REMAINS #1 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a little girl cowering in her room while her home is engulfed in flames, a firefighter desperately tries to break down the door Amy barricaded, but she won’t clear the door for fear of something she calls the Fire Man. The firefighter breaks through, but the Fire Man is waiting.
Twelve years later, Amy lives on the streets of New Orleans in a homeless encampment. She spends her days listening to first responder radio calls in the hope of getting to house fires quickly so she can capture video evidence of the Fire Man. When Amy returns to the encampment one night, she notices a hooded figure locking the gates and setting the encampment ablaze.
We conclude the issue with community improvement programs, a rescue, and a face in the flames.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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CHARRED REMAINS #1 begins a creepy urban legend horror story about a traumatized woman hunting for the demon that sets fires. Cleveland’s story gets off to a great start with excellent pacing, dialog, and shocks, while Mutti’s exceptional art packs in creepy visuals and an atmosphere of fear.
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