There are a lot of comics out there, but some stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This,” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we’re spotlighting “Dark Spaces: Wildfire,” a new story from IDW that’s still in its nascent stages, but we’re dropping it here anyways because it’s just that good. Are you ready to step into the fire?
Who’s this by?
Some of the creators here need no introduction, but this section is mandatory and hey, everyone comes to the hobby at a different time so there’s no need to be elitist, right? “Dark Spaces: Wildfire” is the first of IDW’s nine new, original stories that they’re releasing over the course of the summer and upcoming year. Scott Snyder helms this story, so it looks like IDW went for a heavy hitter to start things off. He’s worked on everything from Batman to Justice League to Swamp Thing to his own gem of a story, Wytches. He’s a master of horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and general intrigue. Some of his more recent, ongoing work is Undiscovered Country, which we’ve covered multiple times on this site, and Nocterra. While many people may be coming to this book for Scott Snyder, our hope is that they stay for Hayden Sherman, the incredibly talented, young artist whose already left their mark on a variety of stories across the comic landscape. Some of their current work includes Above Snakes and Blink. “Dark Spaces: Wildfire” also features the tremendously diligent, Eisner 2008 nominee for Best Colorist Ronda Pattison, whose works spans everything from TMNT to Star Wars and more. Rounding out the creative team is Andworld Design, a primarily lettering studio that has had its hand in DC, Marvel, IDW, BOOM! Studios, and more.
What’s this all about?
“Dark Spaces: Wildfire” is a striking story about a crew of women, prisoner firefighters who concoct a daring plan to use the current California wildfire as cover to conduct a heist on a billionaire’s estate. It’s a perfect plan: the entire area is abandoned because of the impending blaze, the billionaire’s compound, which will be engulfed by the inferno, will be unguarded. They’ll waltz in on the pretense of fighting the fire, and when the flames inevitably burn the place to a crisp, they’ll be no evidence left of their burglary. What could go wrong? Given the ominous, sulfurous nature of this comic, it’s all going to hell and it’s not going to be pretty. But of course, “Dark Spaces: Wildfire” is about a lot more than a whacky plan a few friends are making to get rich quick. It’s about friendship, comradery, betrayal, and how much tension and rupture a bond can take before it tears, or in this case, goes up in flame. It’s also a strong indictment of the US’s criminal justice system, and the flagrant injustice that is prisoner firefighters.
So why should I read this?
You should read “Dark Spaces: Wildfire” because it’s simply stunning. We mentioned the creative team in detail because this is much more than just a Scott Snyder show. The entire team here is aligned, and everything fits together beautifully in “Dark Spaces: Wildfire.” Hefty chunks of exposition feel weightless when paired with ingeniously designed panel structures, and moments of awe and terror are captured in all their ineffable glory by Sherman’s deft hands. Sherman’s pictures would be nothing without Pattison’s lucid coloring, which casts the whole story in a heady, alluring, smoky haze of reds, purples, blues, and oranges. The energy in this book is off the walls. “Dark Spaces: Wildfire” feels claustrophobic yet intimate, beautiful yet terrifying, and above all else brooding and ominous. The writing is top notch, and in just a few scenes we learn a lot about our cast of characters, and just enough about their motivations to keep us interested. This is also a well researched story, and it’s clear that Snyder and the team did a lot of work learning about the ins and outs of forest firefighting, This doesn’t feel amateur at all, and the entire story carries itself with a confidence that’s palpable when read. The first issue laid excellent groundwork, and the upcoming issue notches up the pace just enough. It’s the attention to things like that–pace changes between issues, subtle color palette considerations, well placed lettering decisions–that make us feel like we’re in the presence of something expert and immaculately executed. You should read “Dark Spaces: Wild Fire” because the heist is just spark that lights the flame. It’s always impressive when comics take an already exciting premise and lay it all out in issue number one — because that means that things are only going up from there.
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How can I read this?
“Dark Spaces: Wildfire” #2 releases on August 17th wherever comics are sold.
