DISTEMPER: CHASED #1, by Blood Moon Comics on 12/13/23, imagines a world where a virus decimates 90% of the human population. What horrors await the survivors in a world gone mad?
The Details
- Written by: Tony Bushell
- Art by: Nenad Cviticanin
- Colors by: Nenad Cvitcanin
- Letters by: Tony Bushell
- Cover art by: Nenad Cvitcanin
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: December 13, 2023
Is DISTEMPER: CHASED #1 Good?
It’s a fair bet to say that the end of the world isn’t going to be a lot of fun for the few people left alive to see it. In DISTEMPER: CHASED #1, Tony Bushell examines that scenario as a group of survivors, still reeling from a recent tragedy, encounter a woman needing help. Bushell reminds the radar, through brutal violence, that humanity isn’t as far from the animals as we’d like to believe.
Bushell’s script centers on a group of survivors after a catastrophic virus ravages the planet. The group appears to be in shock after some tragic event when they encounter a woman running from murderous hillbillies in the woods. When a plea for help turns into a mini-war, surviving a deadly virus may be the least of their problems.
Besides the brutal, tension-filled story, the comic exists in the same world as the TTRPG game of the same name. Makers of the comic will have the TTRPG available via Kickstarter in 2024, and links for purchase are included in this issue.
What’s great about DISTEMPER: CHASED #1? Stories that pit humanity against itself under catastrophic conditions only work if you can create an atmosphere of paranoia. When people you don’t know you can trust band together for mutual survival, you fearfully wait to be betrayed. Bushell pulls off the atmosphere of paranoia effortlessly, which puts the reader on edge from page one.
What’s not so great about DISTEMPER: CHASED #1? Bushell introduces the readers to the main group after they’ve come through some tragic happening, but we don’t what happened or what part the group played in the tragedy. That unidentified tragedy helps establish a layer of mystery, but there’s no hint or clue whatsoever, so the mystery feels like a black box that doesn’t engage you.
Further, grammatical errors abound. The dialog frequently has stumbling blocks, which should have been avoided by reading the dialog out loud for clarity and flow.
How’s the art? This is our first exposure to Nenad Cviticanin’s artwork, and it’s rock-solid. The character designs are distinctive, and Cviticanin’s coloring is excellent.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s DISTEMPER: CHASED #1 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with rapid-fire prologue explaining the devastating effects of the Dog Flu on Earth. 90% of the population is wiped out, the city’s are burning, and the survivors resort to beastly behavior to survive. One year after the first infection a group of survivors make their way through the Delaware woods to reach the shore and refuge.
The group appears to still be in shock over a recent tragedy, but they press on. Suddenly, they hear human movement in the nearby woods and spot a bound and gagged woman running from a man with a shotgun. The eldest survivor, whose most rattled by the undescribed tragedy, leaps into action. The others reluctantly join in to save the woman and kill her pursuer.
We conclude the issue with a plea for help, a trap, and hungry hillbillies.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
DISTEMPER: CHASED #1 is a taut, paranoia-filled story about a group of survivors after the end of the world. Bushell creates a palpable atmosphere of tension and violence, while Cviticanin’s grounded art infuses the story with uncomfortable realism.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.