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 take a look at Image Comics’s “Little Monsters”
Who’s This By?
Co-created by writer Jeff Lemire (“Sweet Tooth,” “Black Hammer”) and artist Dustin Nguyen (“Descender,” “Robin & Batman”), “Little Monsters” is their first foray into this style of horror comic. Lemire, who is known for his multiple post-apocalyptic, fever dream, and dark superhero comics is one of the greatest storytellers of this generation. No matter what genre or sub-genre he is currently dabbling in, know that he will bring his own unique twist to the subject matter, and it will most likely rob you of any remanence of your childhood and destroy your soul, and you will thank him for it.
Nguyen is one of Lemire’s frequent collaborators and his art style really matches with Lemire’s writing. As someone who also works in dreamy, ethereal, watercolor inspired styles Nguyen’s style still has a bit of the loose hand painterly vibe that Lemire works in within his own art, which is purposefully less polished allowing for images to lines and shapes to bleed over. If Lemire’s art is the anti-depressant mixed with bourbon take, Nguyen is the bubblegum anime hiding underlying sadness inspired version. It allows for the same amount of pathos and dark nature, but sneaks up on you with ease before walloping you with the emotional weight.
What’s This All About?
These are the last children on Earth. They also happen to be vampires. For longer than anyone can remember, these children have lived a seemingly eternal life amongst the ruins of was once humanity. The group is fractured after some surprising events take place setting them on a path of discovery that will shatter their innocence forever. This take on a post-apocalyptic world full of vampires is a “Lord of the Flies” meets “I Am Legend” dark adventure that readers of all ages can identify with on some level.
So, Why Should I Read This?
It’s Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen teaming up once again and creating a clever and emotionally reverant horror, fantasy, action comic book, what other reason do you need?
Jeff Lemire knows heartache and pained nostalgia and if there is something he knows how to write it is grounded characters in a heightened world. Watching as he little by little pulls what joy these vampire kids have from their lives as he destroys all that they know brings with it a mixed bag of emotions. On one hand you feel for these kids. They only know one way of life and it has all been turned on its head, but on the other hand, they’re evil bloodsuckers, right? RIGHT? “Little Monsters” is a beautiful character study from top to bottom. Jeff Lemire isn’t without humor in his writing, at times, but he can also stab you in the heart with bleak horror like a deeply nihilistic Rod Serling. You’ll love how much he hurts you.
Dustin Nguyen brings his beautifully detailed A game to this book. Playing in shades of gray, he gives this post-human world the ashen, colorless look that, captures what it must feel like to look in at this destroyed Earth that has been taken over by vampires. As they drained the blood and life from humanity, all color was drained from the world. Nguyen plays around with the rigidity of people and the environment against his looser style. The gray palette is a strong feature, but it still feels like he’s covered every panel in an ink wash and laid down a textured pop art Photoshop layer to help keep everything contained to the page for fear that the water and ink will run right out of the panels and into your lap. For keeping with his somewhat cutesy trademark style, his work still brings some truly horrific dark moments and real violence that may shock even those coming to this expecting horror and mayhem.
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How Can You Read It?
Issue 10 released this week and the first six issues have been collected in a tpb available anywhere comics are sold. Issues 11 and 12 will be out in March and April, so it is a nice easy catch up on this series.
