Jack Bernard’s mind is going, thanks to a brain tumor that will probably kill him… if the serial killer on his trail doesn’t do it first. Your Major Spoilers review of You Won’t Feel A Thing #1 from DSTLRY Media awaits!

YOU WON’T FEEL A THING #1

Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Jock/Dom Reardon
Colorist: Lee Loughridge/Jock
Letterer: Andworld Design
Editor: Will Dennis with Tyler Jennes
Publisher: DSTLRY Media
Cover Price: $8.99
Release Date: January 15, 2025

Previously in You Won’t Feel A Thing: Years ago, John Reader was an accomplished homicide detective. So accomplished that it cost him everything else in his life. Now, John finds himself alone, trapped in a retirement home with a brain tumor that’s slowly sapping his once-keen mind of all memories. But when an ice-cold serial killer case from out of his past rears its head, John must call on all his remaining memories in order to stop a killer that only he still believes really exists!

THE CHATTER MAN COMETH

John Reader’s story begins with a door… or at least, a choice of them. As part of his therapy, he and his caretaker go through a set of flashcards, each one representing a door and a time in his life. At seventeen, for instance, he was home preparing for a big test when he was surprised by his girlfriend, Flower. It was a very important moment in his life, and it’s still clear. Unfortunately, not everything is, and we quickly find that John is no longer the respected detective that he used to be, thanks to The Chatter Man, a notorious serial killer that Detective Reader never caught. The official reason for this is that he never existed, as Reader was never able to connect the threads of the various unsolved murders, meaning that even his own son thinks that the killer is all in his imagination.

Then, a new murder makes it absolutely clear that he is not.

A SENSE OF IMPENDING DOOM

From the very first page, this is a remarkable issue, thanks to Jock’s creative layouts. The double-page spread that opens the issue is creepy as hell, immediately transitioning to Reader’s flashback to Flower and their fateful date. That decision also answers my most burning question about the book as solicited: Why a couple of the covers feature a prominent, nude or nearly nude woman. That switch in perspective also foreshadows the issue’s first big shock moment, highlighting this creative team’s ability to go from mundanity to horror to a love scene and back, seemingly effortlessly. The proliferation of double-page spreads might have made some books seem shorter than the 48 pages presented here, but the issue delivers a full serving of excitement with a strong cliffhanger ending and no fewer than three excellent show-stopper moments.

BOTTOM LINE: GOOD STUFF, BUT THAT PRICE TAG?

The downside of You Won’t Feel A Thing #1 for me is the nine-dollar price tag, part and parcel of the DSTLRY prestige format. It is still tough for me to pull the trigger, but the quality of the comic book delivered is well worth the time, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. I’ll definitely be looking out for the next issue of this one.

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.