Penny Dreadful Issue #1 - Out May 11, 2016 (REVIEW)

Image Credit: Titan Comics & Louie De Martinis

The new comic, Penny Dreadful, is based on the Showtime TV series created by John Logan. We are seeing more and more comics develop from TV series especially from Titan Comics, which I think is a great thing for fans. This one is special, as well, because it is written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns, the writer of the TV series. The art is illustrated by Louie De Martinis of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. This automatically sounds like a neat pairing. We first saw a glimpse at the cover back in February, but we were lucky enough to get to review the issue in time for its' release on May 11th. (no major spoilers below!)

First, if you're already a fan of the TV series then you might know the premise of the comic. If not, Titan Comics describes it as a "prequel comic [that]​ reveals the terrifying events that led Vanessa​ (Eve Green)​ to try and find her missing childhood friend, Mina Harker​ (Olivia Llewellyn), and exposes the true nature of the vampiric monsters infesting Victorian London". So the premise will be the same as the TV series, but I imagine they will come up with different ways to tell the story. I'm sure fans will recognize some panels that seem to come directly from the show and will be pleased by new ideas, as well. One look at the cover and at Vanessa tells you that the art and characters are based on the TV series, as well. That can be said about other fan favorite characters, as well. (I have to imagine that it is very cool to have a character drawn to look like you!) I like the similarities and can't wait to see De Martinis bring the series to life in pages.

Speaking of the art. Wow! De Martinis brings each panel to life. The attention to detail and the creativity are captivating. I like the layout of the panels and how each page encourages the reader to keep going. The writing is succinct and easily invites the reader, new to the premise or not, into the world they are building. Although it's not the same as writing a full episode worth of dialogue, it is doing just that through the storytelling and pacing in comic form. If you're a fan of the TV series, then I think you will really enjoy it. The panels tell the story beautifully and will add an extra layer to the story you already know. If you happened to miss the TV series, then you will be able to start from issue #1 without missing anything. It does a great job at introducing the premise, the characters, and it is off to a great, mysterious start! Check this out!

Penny Dreadful Issue #1 hits comic stores and digital platforms on May 11th
Penny Dreadful, the TV series, season 3 started on May 1, 2016

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Review by: L.Burden