Written by: Greg Rucka
Art by: Nicola Scott
Publisher: Image
After reading this issue, I’m pretty much convinced that Greg Rucka can do no wrong. His entire career has, obviously, been incredible, but his recent work – specifically Lazarus – has topped everything that’s come before. It may be a bit too early to call, but the first issue of Black Magick definitely seems to continue that trend. Of course, it is just the start of the story, and it’s not perfect, but this issue not only does everything that should be expected of a first issue, but goes beyond that as well.
Looking back on the issue, the majority of it is set up for the first arc of the series, but it never feels like set up, not really. This largely comes as a result of Rucka’s ability to establish tension. Within the first few pages of the issue, there is a conflict established, and the dialogue, combined with a relative lack of information, makes the reader question the outcome of the issue. There is a real sense of risk associated with the events that play out in this issue. Though Rucka’s writing is an important part of the issue’s success, Nicola Scott’s art is equally important. The black and white layouts give the book a sense of dread, and body language is sued masterfully to convey a message. For instance, there is very little interaction between Rowan and her fellow officers, but facial expressions and body language establish their relationships.
Some of the most effective panels here are actually silent, with Scott’s art conveying the story on its own. This is an excellent of a writer knowing when to get out of the way of an artist, in order to advance the story. The relative lack of dialogue does mean that there isn’t a ton of room for getting key information about the plot and characters. The thing is, in addition to Scott’s art doing an excellent job of this, it forces the dialogue that is here to be as effective as possible, which it is. It didn’t take long for me to totally invested in Rowan’s character, as well as the characters surrounding her, despite not really knowing what her relationship with them is. A lot of what we do know is implied, but that’s preferable to just being told who the characters are, why we should care, and what the plot is.
That being said, I would have appreciated a little bit more backstory on who Rowan is. Obviously, the mystery is a big part of what keeps readers coming back, and the fact that I even care is telling as to how effective the character is. The thing is, the supernatural element of the book does kind of come out of nowhere (I went in without reading any previews). It is foreshadowed earlier on, but I only noticed this in retrospect. That isn’t to say that I didn’t like this element of the book – in fact, it’s part of the reason I loved this issue so much. More information would have been nice, is all.
Other than that, there’s not much about Black Magick to critique. The characters and art are both great, and the little we get of the plot and world are enticing. Plus, the cliffhanger, despite not being overly dramatic, already has me chomping at the bit for issue #2 to come out. I highly recommend picking this issue up.
