The Empty Man #1 Review
From BOOM Studios
Written by Cullen Bunn with art by Vanesa R Del Rey
I’ve been a fan of Cullen Bunn’s work since taking over Wolverine and the Captain America team up books back in 2012, so perhaps I was late to the party as he had been killing it on the Sixth Gun for some time. Currently, Bunn is currently writing Sinestro for DC Comics, Magneto for Marvel, the Remains for MonkeyBrain Comics, Godzilla: Cataclysm for IDW and so much more. That’s Charles Soule levels of busy.
When this book was announced, I added it to my pull list without hesitation. While I may not get all of Bunn’s mainstream stuff (Todd is still selling me on Magneto) his creator owned/indie stuff is purchased sight unseen. Now, this may sound like a risky proposition to some, however, Cullen Bunn is one of the folks on my Trusted Creators list. I read no solicitations, I read no interviews or reviews prior. Will always buy. Did my risk pay off? There might be some spoilers.
This six issue miniseries centers around two seemingly unrelated stories: Abram, a Southern style preacher, starting with a tiny flock in an abandoned gas station to a huge congregation on national TV and a “virus” that causes people to go mad, ending in a gruesome demise. No one knows what is causing it, the CDC and the FBI working together to fine a cure while stemming the rise of cults claiming responsibility for ‘the Empty Man” disease.
The most recent case, brings about two missing children, only seen in a picture on the wall of the home of the deceased and in the hands of a scarred woman who joined the afore mentioned religious group five years earlier. There is your mystery, folks. Where did these children go? What is there connection to both the rash of madness inspired death and the rise in prominence of Abram’s parishioners?
That’s what Walter (FBI) and Monica (CDC) set to find out. But at what cost to both of them?
This book is all about the atmosphere set in the tone of the story laid out by Bunn and brought to reality by the frightening art from Vanesa R Del Rey.
This is the first time seeing the Cuban born Del Rey’s art, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see her moving on to bigger things and tons of steady work in the near future. The horrifying images in this book, and there are a lot of them, along with the immediate sense of dread set up in just one issue make this one for me.
Is It Worth It? Absolutely! This book is it has the feel of the movie Seven. I’m not saying it’s all “Seven Deadly Sins” and “What’s in the box?” but very much like a horror crime movie come to life. If you are a fan of all the craziness Bunn brings to Deadpool without all those super heroics in the way, give this one a whirl.
Mention Bunn and Deadpool in a review and I’m in. Really excited for his Godzilla book as well.