The seasoned comic book creative team of Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen are back for a new title at Image called “Little Monsters.” Lemire and Nguyen are telling a story about the last children on earth who appear to be vampires? “Little Monsters” is an ongoing series focused on the emotions of the children instead of the horror elements. Lemire and Nguyen recently crafted the science fiction epic “Descender” and “Ascender.” Lemire tends to write dreary characters going through emotionally difficult periods which “Little Monsters” already neatly fits into. Nguyen’s somber water-color style of artwork is the perfect companion piece to Lemire’s foreboding scripts. With such a strong relationship already established from previous works, readers should be expecting a lot from “Little Monsters” #1. Does the quality of “Little Monsters” hold up with previous works from Lemire and Nguyen? Find out in our in-depth of review of “Little Monsters” #1!
Written by Jeff Lemire
Illustrated by Dustin Nguyen
Lettered by Steve WandsThey are the last children on Earth…who also happen to be vampires. For longer than they can remember, these child vampires have lived a life of eternal wonder amongst the ruins of humanity. But shocking events fracture the group and set them on a path of discovery that will shatter their innocence forever.
In a black and white series with so many characters, it can be difficult to tell the difference between cast members. Thankfully, the art direction for “Little Monsters” #1 accommodates this by introducing one character at a time with their name labeled clearly. The little things like character title cards go a long way sometimes. Nguyen chooses fascinating shots to establish these characters in pages that could be simple in the hands of a lesser artist. We are introduced to Romie, the first child by his back facing the camera. Nguyen draws readers’ attention to the physical action the character is taking. Nguyen is able to show the next protagonist Yui reacting to one of the other characters through song. Nguyen is able to communicate so much information that informs the script just through the visuals alone here. It is clear from the opening pages of the series that both creators still have a strong sense of collaboration.
Writer Jeff Lemire is able to introduce lots of subtext into the story based on the dialogue alone. Lemire introduces Lucas in a dark scene where he is lashing out at the other character Yui. Lemire is also able to craft a believable dynamic between brothers Ronnie and Raymond in the span of just a few pages that show how the two are friendly but competitive. “Little Monsters” #1 is full of small moments where the children comment on their activities, lifestyle, and the current state of their world. Lemire introduces a big twist right at the end of the first chapter but the majority of the script is dedicated to introducing readers to these characters. “Little Monsters” #1 carries the theme that a lot of Jeff Lemire’s previous stories have where the books are about sad people who are older than they appear. Lemire’s “Black Hammer” who he worked on with Dean Ormston explores similar themes as there are sad characters with supernatural powers that are stuck in an environment together. Lemire and artistic collaborator Alberto Ponticelli use “Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.” to explore this concept as well through another fascinating character named Father Time.
“Little Monsters” #1 would not be as effective if it wasn’t for the precious moments in the artwork. Nguyen always draws Billy with a strained facial expression that ends up giving him a lot of character. Billy appears to be very guarded which sets him apart from the rest of the cast. The burst of red on the scarf next to Billy, while he is catching his breath, is beautiful. Nguyen is able to capture characters in motion incredibly well. Readers see the cast of the series in mid-air while they are jumping, barely able to hold onto the scarf. Readers are able to affirm the subtext Nguyen introduces when Lemire gives him rude dialogue to share with his peers. It is remarkable that new readers are able to take away so much from one issue. The visual decision emphasizing the foreboding moon allows the series to carry a really dark but interesting visual direction. The issue is mostly in black-and-white but there’s an occasional burst of color. Readers have to guess where they are going to see the next subtle use of color. Lemire and Nguyen will hide vivid colors in the most interesting places including artwork or moons.
Going forward, I hope to see “Little Monsters” dole out the melodrama really carefully. Lemire has introduced several moody characters in the series already. Lemire must ensure there is enough plot here to justify the melodrama as well. Also, the mythology of the story does not make the cliffhanger land quite as hard as it should. “Little Monsters” #1 is all about the aesthetic and fascinating set of characters. The first issue of “Little Monsters” is a double-sized installment that establishes the setting and characters of the world. The biggest piece missing from the debut issue is a sense of purpose in bringing readers to the next issue. If Lemire and Nguyen can continue to dial back the melodrama and flesh out the world, “Little Monsters” could be something really special! Lemire and Nguyen are able to take advantage of the pint-sized vampire premise to tell a story with an interesting set of characters.
Final Verdict: 7.3 – “Little Monsters” #1 is a noir-tinged introduction to an adorable group of sad little vampires.
