SANCTION #1 – New Comic Review

SANCTION #1, by Mad Cave Studios on 5/15/24, begins a murder mystery that tasks a moral police detective with hunting down a killer in the Soviet Union during the Winter of 1987.

Credits:

• Writer: Ray Fawkes
• Artist: Antonio Fuso
• Colorist: Emilio Lecce
• Letterer: Dave Sharpe
• Cover Artist: Dan Panosian (cover A)
• Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
• Release Date: May 15, 2024
• Comic Rating: Mature
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 31
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

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Analysis of SANCTION #1:

Plot Analysis:

Regular Purgatori writer Ray Fawkes returns with a gritty tale about a possible serial killer running loose in the USSR and the young detective assigned to catch him or her. Echoing shades of Gorky Park (1983) and Insomnia (2002), Fawkes’s sense of wintry isolation adds a layer of tension to a strong first issue.

Fawkes’s script centers on Det. Boris Dimitrovich after he’s assigned a case about a supposed prostitute left dead by the river just after New Year’s Eve in Leningrad, 1987. His superior officer, Det. Smirnoff receives the call first but decides to pass off the case rather than be hassled with the death of street trash nobody will miss.

When Det. Dimitrovich receives the case, he notices several irregularities about the girl’s death and a strange familiarity he can’t quite place. Later, Smirnoff is pulled aside by his commanding officer with orders to ensure the case is closed as quickly as possible. Dimitrovich senses the orders from on high come with ulterior motives.

Later, Dimitrovich follows up on a piece of evidence – a piece of a napkin with the business logo of a bar stuck to the deceased’s shoe. When he enters the bar to look for a matching napkin, the bartender recognizes that Dimitrovich is a cop and asks him to get rid of a man who keeps bothering the customers about his missing girlfriend. Dimitorivich confirms the deceased is the missing girlfriend, and her name is Irina.

The issue concludes with suspicious pressure from Dimitrovich’s peers, similar cases, and a cabin in the woods.

Character Development: 

Ray Fawkes does a masterful job establishing Dimitrovich as a stubborn idealist who refuses to close a case for the sake of speed and convenience. He’s a hero of the every-man variety, and the more he digs, the bigger the potential for a conspiracy becomes, so it’s Dimitrovich’s steadfastness that fuels the narrative.

Artwork and Presentation: 

Antonio Fuso’s art style works until it doesn’t. Fuso’s eye for perspective and movement shines, especially in the pervasive wind and cold that oppresses the characters in nearly every scene. That said, the lack of character detail and consistency is a bummer because you frequently lose track of who’s who when the scenes transition.

Art Samples:

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Pacing and Structure:

Ray Fawkes’s pacing is excellent, and the basic premise rings true for fans of crime thrillers with a dark mystery at its heart. If you’re a fan of the films mentioned above, the similarities will elevate your enjoyment.

However, the dialog development and scene transitions could be smoother. The transitions may have more to do with the art than the writing because the scenes lean heavily on Dimitrovich noticing small things and subtle developments. The net result is occasionally jarring cuts and dialog that comes in fits and starts.

Thematic Exploration: 

It’s too early to tell what themes come to the fore in this story, but it’s clear Dimitrovich is a man intent on doing what’s right to catch a killer, regardless of what his superiors deem as convenient. A steadfast approach to justice immediately elevates Dimitorivich into a classic hero after little more than a few scenes of dialog and a brief bit of investigation.

Final Thoughts:

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SANCTION #1 is a blustery murder mystery set in the 1980s Soviet Union, led by a young detective willing to find justice during the frigid haze of Winter and pressure from his superiors. Fawkes’s tale expertly echoes shades of Gorky Park (1983) and Insomnia (2002) with a fresh perspective, but the art is serviceable, at best.

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