Regardless of what it was, everyone was going to pay attention to Matt Kindt’s follow-up to “MIND MGMT.” Although he had already produced a slew of work before that series began in 2012, it was through “MIND MGMT” that Kindt made significant growth as a cartoonist and storyteller. Now he brings “Dept. H,” published again with Dark Horse, which trades the epic spy scope for a tighter, more claustrophobic thriller. The series will have to haul itself out from the shadow of its predecessor, but if this first issue is any indication, it should have no problem doing so.
Written by Matt Kindt
Illustrated by Matt and Sharlene KindtFrom New York Times best-selling MIND MGMT creator Matt Kindt comes an exciting new undersea sci-fi mystery.
Mia is a special investigator hired to uncover possible sabotage taking place at a deep-sea research station. What she finds is a mind-blowing crime scene filled with suspects with terrible secrets, strange deep-sea creatures, and an impending flood!
After the death of her father, a young scientist named Mia goes to investigate the crime scene at this underwater base, a two-day journey into the depths. “It’s not the descent that bothers me,” she says. “What’s overwhelming is the fear of never making it back up.” The circumstances surrounding his death are mysterious and odd, and Mia immediately suspects sabotage. “One of them is a murderer. One of them killed my father,” she says, looking over at the remaining crew, which happens to include her brother.
Right from the start, Matt Kindt expertly starts pulling the narrative line taut. The book opens with Mia and the head of security for the underwater facility, named Q., diving under the water, removing themselves from society and civilization. Kindt cuts between their dive and flashbacks to the days leading up to Mia’s departure. He keeps the focus tight on her and Q., and those close compositions automatically generate a feeling of claustrophobia and dread. Even with the massive ocean setting, being centered so closely on these characters makes you antsy to know what’s going on beyond the frame.
Kindt’s more concerned with giving an opening chapter to this story rather than a sort of extended preview over what this series is going to be. He introduces information left and right and drops hints at upcoming developments, but everything in the story remains fairly cryptic and impenetrable. When the book was announced last July, Kindt spoke on some of the design elements, including a gauge that would steadily rise higher as the series progressed. If that holds true, there are 24 little slots running along the border of these pages, which means we’re probably in for a bit of a ride. Some readers might find Kindt’s willingness to linger and build from issue to issue frustrating, his control over the plotting and execution of his story, even in how he delivers information in this opening chapter, is the work of a master craftsman. Plus, he knows exactly how to end an installment.
Sharlene Kindt steps in to color this series, and what she evokes immediately feels somewhat more sinister and intriguing. Matt Kindt’s own watercolor work tends to favor vibrancy and color, but Sharlene’s approach is more restrained. She gets her emotion and atmosphere more from hues and shades. Her approach often involves only a couple colors, but she thoughtfully and methodically layers them to create something always interesting to look at. She even uses the texture of the watercolor pages to help add more teeth and depth to the linework.
“Dept. H” #1 is a strong introduction to Matt Kindt’s latest series. With an expert eye and sense of delivery, Kindt has begun an intense and unnerving story that takes the best elements of recent series like “The Wake” and “Southern Cross.” With Kindt’s perspective and point-of-view, “Dept. H” is already shaping up to be something beyond the pale. I think this is a series that will be an absolute blast to read on a month to month basis, but when it’s collected together and complete, it’ll be another strong addition to a great cartoonist’s bibliography.
Final Verdict: 8.8 – Cryptic but intense, Matt Kindt and Sharlene Kindt have turned in a gripping opening chapter.
