CULT OF IKARUS #1, from Scout Comics on February 9th, 2022, introduces readers to Hunter, a woman searching for the truth of her parent’s disappearance.
The Details
- Written By: Jenna Lyn Wright
- Art By: Karl Slominski
- Colors By: Karl Slominski
- Letters By: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Art By: Karl Slominski
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: February 9, 2022
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Was It Good?
Despite the intentional vagueness of the blurb above, you can already tell what this is all about just from looking at the cover. It’s vampires.
CULT OF IKARUS #1 is the latest foray by Scout into horror with Zenescope alum writer, Jenna Lyn Wright. The premise is straightforward and familiar almost to a fault. Vampires are not a new horror subject. Vampires operating in the shadows while wielding a significant amount of criminal influence are also not new. Having a lonely character appear on the scene in search of her past only to discover she has abilities, inherited by birth, that make her a threat to the vampires is most assuredly not a threat. The synopsis of this story has Buffy 2.0 written all over it.
Therefore, the burden falls on the details to make a well-worn story something fresh and engaging. Does Wright succeed? Sort of. There’s a hip punk style to the proceedings in this book. A rock ‘n roll edge that takes this Buffy-heavy concept out of the YA high School realm into the post-college garage band bar scene.
The lead character is engaging enough. Her wizened “mentor” holds the secret of her past but is couched with less wisdom and more focus on staying alive. And the vampires, as they should be, are vicious.
Cutting to the bottom line, this is a recommended pick. That said, it doesn’t cover any new territory (yet), so you may feel like it’s more of the same. We shall see what happens in issue #2.
A quick word on the art. This is the first time we’ve encountered Slominski’s work, and it suits this material well. The linework is strong, and Slominski injects scraggly shapes to capture the spirit of disheveled clothes or mussed-up hair in a unique way. It’s not a super clean book, and it’s not meant to be if the idea is to capture the “I don’t care” attitude of punk rock. We like what we see from Slominski here, and we’re looking forward to seeing more.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a couple and their baby racing through a snowy night in fear for their lives. The slick roads send the car crashing off the road on the outskirts of the city. Although mother, father, and child are fine, the crash gives their pursuers time to catch up.
Years later, the baby, Hunter, is a grown woman and she’s come to an antique bookstore to follow up on a lead about her parents. The store’s owner, nicknamed “Bookkeeper”, immediately identifies Hunter because he knew her parents and now has the unpleasant honor of telling her they’re dead. The Bookkeeper bids Hunter grab a drink with him at a nearby bar that features local bands so they can talk.
The band is crowded as the headline act features Gracie Rage, a singer with a band known for some amount of success. While Hunter and Bookkeeper drink, they’re noticed by a well-dressed group of vampires occupying the upper levels of the bar. The group of vampires is led by the nefarious Caleb.
When Hunter heads for the bathroom, Caleb sends his lieutenants to retrieve her for questioning. We conclude the issue with a bathroom visit that gets very bloody, an alleyway chase and helps from an unlikely ally.
Final Thoughts
CULT OF IKARUS #1 kicks off a new series with a very familiar story about vampires, vampire killers, and the chosen one at the center of it all. While the story is familiar, the tone, vibe, and art style are wholly unique. This is a recommended pick.
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