REVIEW: North 40 #1

I picked up North 40 #1 last week on a whim. I’m not sure why. Did I read an interview with its creators? I don’t remember doing that. Was it the cover image? It’s a pretty cool design, but it doesn’t tell you much about the book’s contents. I don’t even think I’ve ever heard of writer Aaron Williams or artist Fiona Staples before. Also, has WildStorm even published a good title since Sleeper ended several year ago? If they have I didn’t buy it. (I miss Sleeper.)

Regardless of why I bought it, I’m glad I did.

The first issue feels like an old school, creepy Vertigo horror/fantasy title. I really don’t want to talk too much about the specifics of the issue for fear of ruining it for you but it sets up a pretty cool though creepy world to play in. The art in the book is pretty great across the board. And while I’m showering praise on the book, let’s be honest… It’s issue #1. It could still go in a million HORRIBLE directions. But this issue feels like it has that special spark.

Actually to jump backwards for a second, WildStorm publishes Ex Machina which is a pretty great book. So I guess I took a shot at the WS imprint earlier for no good reason. I mention Ex Machina specifically because it’s written by Brian K. Vaughn and there are clearly some parallels between the events of the first issue of North 40 and the first issue of his fantastic Y: The Last Man. As both books are all about an event… A moment in time… after which the world will never be the same. While in Y the entire world is literally affected, North 40 seems intent on focusing specifically on the residents of the rural community of Conover County. (One major difference between the way the two titles launch is that North 40 seems to show exactly why the event takes place, while Y only hinted at it for years.)

So what is the pivotal event that seems to change Conover County forever? All of the people in the county mysteriously fall asleep at the exact same moment one night, and when they awake at 6:33 a.m. the next morning all hell has broken loose… literally.

“That was when things in Conover County… Well, then they got kinda odd…”