The Good
Who doesn't like a good mystery? We're still trying to figure out what happened to the main character Elle. As she tries to sort out the memories and illusions in her mind, we get a nice trippy ride where we and she aren't exactly sure what's going on. There's a whole struggle as she has no idea who she was and has to find the energy to fight, despite not being in her actual body.
The supporting characters add to the drama of the story. We're still not sure who is guilty or innocent. That adds to the mystery as you take what each says and find yourself almost over analyzing it all, to try to grasp any clues Jim McCann might be sprinkling about. Just when you think you know where the story's going, another bomb is dropped.
What separates this from the average 'comic' is this is a story with pictures. By that, I mean we have a story and character development. You won't see big superhero action even though the scenes with Elle in 'the Garden' can be a little trippy.
The Bad
We still have a lot of mystery. We are getting more clues to the big picture. Maybe I'm being a tad impatient? We are getting more questions added so we'll still have something to think about as the main mystery moves along. Hopefully next issue we will start seeing even more answers.
I am digging the art and the way the characters all look except that most of the backgrounds are pretty empty. When Elle is in the Garden, it makes sense that there shouldn't be a lot of background detail. It's a little distracting at times.
The Verdict
Each month, MIND THE GAP is a nice change of pace. This is a comic that doesn't contain superpowers or superheroes. Jim McCann has a big mystery going on. With the premise that no one is necessarily innocent, you can't help but read each page and panel carefully as you try to sift out any clues. I may be needlessly be getting worried what the payoff will be when we do get some more answers. I'm enjoying the story and would hate to be let down as we often are in movies and television. But McCann has delivered before and is setting up the story nicely. You'll find yourself reading the issues over to see if there's anything you missed the first time. The issues don't have to fall upon using big obvious cliffhangers because the mystery in itself is a big cliffhanger. We got some more clues here and it looks like more are coming next month. If you're looking for a comic that focuses on the story and characters, MIND THE GAP is definitely a book to pick up.