FALLEN #1, from Scales Comics on Kickstarter, follows a Zander – a man tormented by dreams of demons and death. When murdered citizens of Queen City point to a ritualistic killer, Zander’s dreams may be grounded in reality.
The Details
- Written by: Raymond Lolacher
- Art by: Raymond Lolacher
- Colors by: Sean Baggs
- Letters by: Joni Hagg
- Cover art by: Raymond Lolacher
- Cover price: $6.00
- Release date: February 2022 (estimated)
Is It Good?
Fallen #1 is an intriguing story about a man whose quest for a simple life is interrupted by dreams and death. Raymond Lolacher’s project combines the concept of ritualistic serial killings with prophecy, magic, and dragons for an interesting entry into the urban fantasy/horror genre.
Fallen #1 feels like a cross between MacFarlane’s Spawn and Quinn’s Faust. The protagonist, Zander, isn’t a hero in the traditional sense but a man who’s pulled into a supernatural layer of our world and forced to reconcile the two. There’s plenty of sorcery, demons, and bloodshed to keep you engaged if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, and the story moves along at a relatively even pace.
The downside of the issue is the clunky setup and scene transitions. Characters are brought in with almost no introduction or setup for who they are and what motivates them. You get the hints of a larger world beyond our mundane reality, but the Evil Queen is just simply there. Where is she when you see her? Unknown. What does she want? Unknown. Why are people dying? Unknown. There’s a fine line between dropping breadcrumbs to lead readers through a mystery and not giving enough information. This comic regularly crosses over into the latter.
Lolacher and Baggs turn in a solid set of visuals in the art, evoking shades (again) of Faust. The character and set designs are gritty, the action is brutal, and the dramatic scenes hit hard with excellent use of color and shadow. To be fair, the linework is not clean and could use some polish, but overall, this comic has a good look to it.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a murder scene in an alley in Queen City. The police believe the victim is the next in a line of targets attributed to a possible serial killer. Reporter Macy Banks reports live from the scene when suddenly she’s snatched up by a rope and murdered in the same fashion. Zander wakes up from a nightmare to find his girlfriend, Macy, sleeping next to him.
Later, Zander is bothered by the vivid dreams as they begin creating horrific visions during his waking hours. He sees himself wearing scaled armor and carrying a glowing sword. Soon the visions overwhelm him, and he sees a strange woman with horns calling to him from his visions. She claims to be a Queen calling Zander to service to fulfill his destiny by her side as part of his family’s legacy. A legacy tied to magic and dragons.
Zander resists the visions and runs away. Later, the police find a third body identical to the one from Zander’s dream. We conclude the issue with stronger visions and dreams coming true.
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Final Thoughts
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FALLEN #1 is a strong first issue in a new indie title. The premise is intriguing, the art is decent, and the tone successfully blends urban fantasy and horror. That said, the character introductions and scene transitions are clunky, and the inks need polish.
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