Amazing First Issue!
As all of you as comic readers know, stories, themes, ideas, and what have you get reused, recycled, and repackaged all the time in comics, but every once in a while you can stumble upon a work that takes an old idea and takes an interesting take on it that leaves you wanting more. This, review readers, is what Infected does, and does well at that. This first issue gives us a full 28 pages (without ads, mind you) of wonderfully intertwined story and art. The lack of ads alone makes for a more enjoyable and fluid reading experience. The panel layout does a very good job in helping to convey both scene progression and transitions. This is especially poignant in the first few pages where we follow a woman named Alida as she both frantically and impulsively heads to a forest for, as of yet, an undetermined reason. Both the narrative and art shine here as there’s no monologue or dialogue whatsoever, but the emotion in Alida’s facial expressions, the wind in her hair, and even the snow storm itself do all of the talking. What follows is a typical, investigative teams’ effort to discover the cause of the infection as it causes its victims to turn into cold and disturbingly ruthless murderers. Let me stress that word disturbing here as there is a very unnerving scene in the book. It is graphic without being too gory so it implements it in a way that’s not overwhelming.
Given what you expect from a series called Infected, there are some repetitive motifs and a little cliché dialogue in this issue but it doesn’t detract from its well thought out, pervasive, and intriguing nature as a whole. Moreover, it also manages to maintain an overall sense of urgency and impending horror while breaking up the intensity with some relatively light hearted moments and comedic bits. However, these could feel somewhat awkward and out of place for some. Also, as this is an adaptation of a novel, it is very word driven and, as a result, the pacing can drag a bit. This, for me at least, was especially true when the nitty gritty nature of the virus is delved into. The issue also follows the mundane actions of a male protagonist and this may come off as boring to some, if not most readers.
When it’s all said and done, I have to say grab this issue as soon as you can! I guarantee you won’t be disappointed if you can deal with some of the problematic points. Go on, now! Git! Don’t less this awesome adaptation get away from you. 5/5