A melding between the worlds of dreams and reality portends a horrific fate ready to befall our world in “Nameless” #1. Writer Grant Morrison, artist Chris Burnham, and colorist Nathan Fairbairn enthrall with a first issue of a horror miniseries that is teeming with elements of magic and the unexplained. Spoilers are nonexistent in this early review of what is so far the best debut of 2015 (however early it may be).
Written by Grant Morrison
Illustrated by Chris BurnhamAn astronomer kills his family, then himself, leaving a cryptic warning. A Veiled Lady hunts her victims through human nightmares. An occult hustler known only as ‘Nameless’ is recruited by a consortium of billionaire futurists for a desperate mission. And the malevolent asteroid Xibalba spins closer on a collision course with Earth. But nothing is what it seems—a terrifying inhuman experiment is about to begin. Abandon all hope and experience ultimate horror in NAMELESS.
Morrison and Burnham succeed in introducing us to an Earth that contains great evil and upheaval. “Nameless” #1 is both their first attempt at regaling us with a pure horror story and it unsettles in ways that are fresh and truly menacing. The combination of story and art come together to create a comic book that feels unlike any other. This is testament to Morrison and Burnham’s ability to create a world that seems so real, yet is permeated with an aura of magic and impending damnation. Morrison’s inventive script inspires Burnham and Fairbairn to utilize artistic and coloring choices that meld perfectly with Morrison’s vision.
The mysterious protagonist, who goes by the name Nameless, has abilities that are coveted by people and entities that appear at times benevolent or villainous. He (probably) has the ability to save Earth and must navigate a world where individuals may or may not be interested in humanity’s survival. His mission is to save the world, yet this is definitely not a story about a hero’s journey. Morrison’s premise for his book, naturally, is filled with so many ideas and concepts that demand multiple readings. The mixture of science fiction, Mayan mythology, and thriller creates horrifying realities and possibilities that become even more evident with each read. The first issue of “Nameless” beckons while it repels with the promise of the unknown and vows of future horrors.
Burnham’s disorienting and claustrophobic art is appropriate for the unsettling nature of Morrison’s tale and the impending evil that threatens to engulf the planet. Although death and destruction aren’t explicitly shown on the page, the implication of a doom-filled future lurks on every page of this issue with horrific perfection. Reality appears dream-like, yet intricately rendered and contributes to the horror that comes with no boundaries between reality and imagination.
In one scene, you get Nameless’ beaten, lived-in face with all its creases and stubble while his environment and the beings dwelling within it are otherworldly and defy all logic. The contrast between and the combination of the fantastical and the realistic are perfectly depicted through Burnham’s art. He vividly brings Morrison’s ideas to spectacular life and revels in his ability to compel us into questioning whether what is happening on the page is real or not.
The layouts and panels of “Nameless” #1 are so powerful because of Burnham’s use of perspective. The book opens with panels that beautifully contain the past, present, and possibly other worlds or dimensions. Some of those panels are in the shape of strange symbols that contain scenes that disorient while depicting the action in a straightforward manner. Meaning inhabits not only the art itself, but the way the art is presented on each page. In a stunning splash page where Nameless wakes up surrounded by strange beings, the scene is observed from above their heads. This seemingly simple use of perspective is so effective because we are inhabiting the story and waking up with Nameless. We become a part of the book and feel the terror and shock of escaping from one nightmare, only to find ourselves in another ominous situation.
Fairbairn’s color palette varies from scene to scene, with the neon pink of one page being just as effective as the gloomy colors of a dark and dreary rain-filled night. His colors add another dimension to Morrison’s story and Burnham’s art and contributes to the genuine unease inherent in “Nameless” #1. The splash page with a waking Nameless is a superb example of how Fairbairn’s colors heighten reality and the feeling of not being able to discern between what is real and what is only a nightmare. The pink light and purple shadows may sound ridiculous (and probably would be with a lesser artist or colorist involved), yet that jarring use of color transforms the scene into something strange and horrifying. The psychedelic power of the colors is a fitting complement to the dizzying perspective that Burnham utilizes in his art. The yellow lights attached to the tops of the intruders’ heads are the only hint of reality in Fairbairn’s color choice for this particular page. That tiny detail of the lights and Fairbairn’s choices throughout the issue mirror the fine detail everyone brings to the creation of “Nameless”.
Continued belowDetail is not only relegated to the art and writing, but bursts forth from Morrison’s pen in only the first issue of what is bound to be a journey through a dark and troubling universe. Magic, the occult, Mayan beliefs, and other universes are just some of the ideas hinted at in “Nameless” #1. Morrison weaves a tight first issue and does not waste one word. Every one of those words has meaning and leads us closer to the breaking point of a world that contains such unspeakable horrors.
Dreams blend into reality while reality appears as if to only be a dream. The horrors of the world are only the opening act for the main events of terror. A powerful aura of evil eats away at each page. The indescribable is transformed into the horrific in “Nameless” #1 and the team of Morrison, Burnham, and Fairbairn (as well as letterer Simon Bowland) have only begun to warp our minds.
Final Verdict: 9.9 – Any issue that haunts your thoughts and challenges your perceptions through breathtaking writing, art, and colors deserves to be deemed a paragon of perfection.
