The Cull #1: A New Fear of the Unknown

The Cull #1 does exactly what a first issue of a horror/mystery comic book should do–it hooks readers within the first few pages and builds excitement for what will likely be one of the most entertaining reads this year. This issue is a reminder of how independent and creator owned comics make for entertaining reads in an industry full of capes and tights.

Similar to the gang in Stranger Things or the “Losers Club” from It, the story focuses on a group of friends off to make a movie in the early hours of the morning. As they approach the famous landmark along the beach, it is here where the mystery begins. The ending leaves readers with a lot of questions, but the excitement about what comes next is what makes these types of stories great.

Written by Kelly Thompson, whose impressive background is in Marvel and independent series, the story structure and dialogue are all well done. There’s no excess exposition, in fact, the dialogue feels real as characters interact. It’s evident there is a rich history among everyone in this issue and this is all done without overinflating text. In terms of the story structure, the issue begins with a flashback that sort of spoils what could happen but builds intrigue without being gimmicky.

The art is completely done by Mattia De lulis and it’s a unique style that works well for this genre. Character designs and outfits are natural and the coloring is incredibly balanced as panels shift from dead of night to rich a colorful light during the day time. From cover to interior art, De lulis’ work fits the tone of the story, engulfing readers into the overall experience. With the tight dialogue, the lettering from Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou is always welcome. His work is with various publishers and is always clean and well thought out.