Empty Zone #1: Not Alive Anymore

From writer and artist Jason Shawn Alexander, Empty Zone #1 kicks off a series that truly plays to his strengths, bringing a stark horror contrasted with a gritty sci-fi story that feels thoroughly lived-in.

The first issue primarily introduces Corinne, the main character who embodies the dark aesthetic of the series with both her mechanical arm and tortured presence in every panel. The world is grim, violent and incredibly cold feeling, which lends itself to the ghoulish themes that quickly become prominent. Corinne seems trapped in this place and the artwork pulls at those fleeting emotions in every panel.

The heavy blacks and stylistic approach helps to create visuals that really only Alexander can pull off. However, the color palette Luis NCT uses helps to bring out even the smallest details in such a great way. Corinne’s nightmare fueled with grotesque sexual violence and the mysterious creation of haunted ghouls shows that this team is more than capable of delivering horrific artwork.

Is it the most complex and developed plot? Certainly not. Corinne carries most of the narrative weight, leaving most of the other elements of both the world around her and the supporting characters to develop over future issues. There is a mysterious vibe that permeates every issue, and while I certainly enjoy it, the motivations are simply not as clearly established as they could be in the first issue. It’s somewhat of a ghostly traipse through a wicked place rooted in a sense of sci-fi grittiness that pulls you into the world and it’s dangers.

Empty Zone #1 is a book that shows Jason Shawn Alexander has a firm grasp of the comics medium and the artistic ability to capture something uniquely terrifying, yet strangely alluring. For fans of darker comics this is certainly worth checking out. We’ve got a sinister laboratory creating ghouls, a troubled heroine with seemingly great intentions and a world that you just can’t wait to come back to.