With all the Big Two hype between DC’s zero issue month and Marvel NOW!, sometimes it’s nice to take a look at what some of the smaller publishers are doing. So this week, Dear Readers, I give to you IDW’s Transfusion #1.
SUMMARY
Pros
World building for issues to come
Cons
Story doesn’t justify price point
READER RATING!
[ratings]
TRANSFUSION #1
Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Menton3
Cover: Menton3
Publisher: IDW
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Transfusion: Pretty much nothing, since this is the first issue. There is some information about how the blood hungry robots turned on humans five years prior to the events of the story, but other than that; nada.
ATMOSPHERE, BUT NOTHING TO BREATH
There is very little story in this first issue of Transfusion. Its only purpose seems to be to set up the world as it were. This is not an inherently bad thing, but here it failed to be interesting, and really just fell flat. The world that it does set up, however, makes for a good back drop for a story yet to come. Robots roam the world, having ravaged it, making it pretty much unlivable for most humans. These robots hunt down the few remaining humans and feast on their blood. However, there is another faction that wants to feast on the supple Homo sapiens, vampires. As the subtitle of the book says, this is a world of vampires against robots. Each trying to survive on what remains of humanity. The vampires seem to lure and trap the humans, while the robots just storm the country side until they come across some. People die left and right in this first issue, but its hard to care, since we are given very little reason to. The moments of this book that are supposed to be full of tension and suspense just are not. Again, I turn to the lack of reasons to care about anything; Niles gives the back story for what happened, but not why it happened. Because of this, nothing really matters. Should I care about the humans just because I am one? Well no I should not, for we are very selfish creatures, give me a reason to.
BLOODY BRILLIANT
The art in this book is a truly unique and wonderful experience. Having never encountered Menton3’s work before, I was very pleasantly surprised at the style. It invoked a sense of dread and helplessness that was in tune with the overall melancholy of the piece. This art is just fantastic overall, the bleak coloring, the use of blacks for emphasis, all of it signs of Menton3’s mastery.
BOTTOM LINE: GOOD, BUT SET TO DIE
Transfusion #1 is a good book, do not get me wrong, but it’s four whole dollars. While the art is amazing, the story just does not justify the price point. I highly suggest looking for other comics worked on by Menton3, especially for something a much lower price. If you really need some vampires, then wait for the trade.
