Dark Ark #1 –
AfterShock Comics
Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Juan Doe
Letters by Ryane Hill
Whether you’re religious or not, it is a story you are probably familiar with. It would rain for 40 days and 40 nights, Noah would build an ark and gather two of every animal to save their species from the flood. What if there was another ark full of something…unnatural? That’s where Cullen Bunn comes in, with Dark Ark #1.
The story centers around the very story that I mentioned, only this time, the task belongs to a sorcerer named Shrae. This time it’s a gathering of things from the unnatural world that he and his family must tend to. As you can imagine, that makes for some tense moments on the arc. Monkeys and lions getting along are one thing, vampires and dragons are a whole other task. Not only does this story center around those that have been gathered and their interactions, but also the family who is left wondering if what they’re doing is the right thing. There is also one big part of the story (that I won’t spoil) that is one of the conditions of Shrae’s deal and it’s a BIG one. This book is full of tension, personal conflict and the question as to whether you really want this ark to succeed or fail. We see a bit of conflict, which we can see will set up Issue 2 very nicely and give you something to think about while you wait for it.
Nobody does weird and creepy like Cullen Bunn, let’s just get that out of the way right now. If you see Cullen’s name on a book of other worldly beings or creatures in general, it’s just something you want to read. As long as you know the premise going in, that is definitely the case with this book as well. Cullen does let the reader know what’s going on about half way, should this be a book you pick up on impulse without having known anything about it. I actually read this twice, and was able to appreciate it much more the second time. We get to know a lot about a few characters, but I am interested to see who gets further depth added to them in future issues. Another thing that will keep you turning the page is the pure genius artwork from Juan Doe. This felt like I was looking at a high end manga or anime story. If felt do wicked, and there was something so right about it. The depth of the colors on any panel in the exterior of the ark were especially stunning. The premise of Dark Ark is one that really has my attention, and it feels like this book is set up for the long haul. I remember feeling this way about Harrow County after Issue 1, and I wasn’t wrong about that, so I’m going with my gut on this one.
RATING: PULL / BUY