Ten years ago, we dug too deep. We unleashed something ancient that couldn't be controlled. Something that couldn't be stopped, twisting everything it touched into more of itself. The Spread.
Humanity was nearly destroyed before we found a way to slow the Spread to a crawl. Now, deep inside the quarantined zone, one man has found the key to stopping it forever: a baby girl. And if he can save her, he might save the world.
Preview
Review
See the Review Rating Overview page for more information on how I rate each comic
Cover & Solicit 4/5
This issues main cover is of course drawn by interior artist and co-creator
+Kyle Strahm (We Will Bury You, Judge Dredd) with
+Felipe Sobreiro (Luther, Cthulhu Tales, Heavy Metal Magazind) on colors. The cover really shows our two heroes "No" and the infant "Hope". It's also a good representation of the artwork you'd expect in the issue. There are also two Retail Incentive covers, one for Third Eye Comics, and the other for Phantom Comics.
Art, Colors & Inking 3/5
Like the cover this series artists are Kyle Strahm and Felipe Sobreiro. While the art is very fitting, and has a creepy vibe, it's not my taste. Although I do have to give it to Sobreiro, I had nightmares of the color red last night.
Layout & Flow 5/5
Being the first issue it did take awhile to get your bearings. At first the monologue is confusing because you don't know who is telling it. Like another Image Comics publication Saga it's done from the point of view of a infant. You eventually learn Hope is the one telling the story and things clear up. The pacing and flow of the story and Strahm's artwork is very well done, even with all the fast paced action, and the red madness that is the Spread.
Story 5/5
The series is written by co-creator Justin Jordan
(Green Lantern: New Guardians, Shadowman, Dead Body Road). I have always enjoyed his writing and Spread is no exception. Jordan does an excellent job of introducing us to the world that has been infected by the Spread. We start the issue with "No" inspecting a crashed plane site with "Hope's" monologue telling the story. We also learn that No is immune to the Spread, although immune does not mean impervious. Next Jordan introduces us to our young storyteller. It seems Hope is more important than the average infant and a young lady dies trying to protect her from bandits. With her dying breath she asks No to save her and the world. It isn't until later in the issue you learn the real meaning of the girls name, not that it is the one given to her but the fact she is humanities only hope of survival and stopping the Spread.
Verdict - 4.3 (8.5/10) - (Buy Spread) SAVE 10%
This series is not for the faint of heart. Jordan and Strahm do an excellent job of turning up the creepiness factor in this first issue of Spread. While I'm not a fan of Strahm's style its very fitting for this series and the coloring by Sobreiro will give you nightmares about the color red. Jordan is an excellent storyteller and Spread is no exception. In this first issue you get action, intrigue, and the lingering need for more. If you want to read a zombie like, alien parasitic, virus, that thinks human killing is a good time, then you must read Spread.
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