SPOILER FREE ADVANCED REVIEW: The Union #1

I had no idea what to expect when I sat down to read The Union #1. The cover boasts connection to the “King in Black” event spawning from Donny Cates’ Venom run and the solicit references the events of “Empyre”. I suppose I expected a run of the mill EVENT BOOK. What I got, however, was a charming introduction to a new team, an emotional rollercoaster of a story, and subtly social-charged narrative. Oh, and an EVENT BOOK. Grist and di Vito team together marvelously to control the pace of the narrative. There’s a ton going on in this first issue but it never feels overly rushed or too busy. Events flow perfectly from one to the next as we learn everything we truly need to know to make our decisions about this series.

Drawing on an exceptionally diverse creative team, the book has a quality feel from top to bottom. From the exceptional color palates by Woodard to gorgeous finish work by Underwood and Geraci, the book delivers on all fronts. Travis Lanham continues to be among the most under-rated letterers in the industry and is, of course, on full display here.

For a book that I had no expectations of, The Union #1 becomes a highly recommended issue for me and perhaps the start of a surprise hit of the year.