I’ve come to the conclusion that I hate first issues. In The Wake’s case it’s like watching the first 20 minutes of John Carpenter’s “The Thing” and then turning off the TV. You just don’t do that!

But such is the nature of comics in this genre, and the allure of Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy teaming up once more is too great to skip out on. Plus how often do we get a book that already feels synonymous to that classic Vertigo vibe.

As we begin our descent into the unknown what we have here is a solid set-up issue that introduces us to the main players of the narrative, as well as our unique setting. There’s enough mystery and intrigue to keep the story consistently ramping up in quality. And by the time you reach the last page you’ll be wishing it didn’t end.

The big reveal is already teased on the front cover, so it’s less about the surprise and more about how we get there. This is a testament to Snyder’s writing where his content doesn’t hinge solely on twists and turns. But rather it’s the people along for the ride that keep us invested and surprised.

My favorite part about this issue is the book-end structure. What we have here are two major time leaps that some how tie into the present narrative. Right now trying to guess as to how they fit into the story is one of the more exciting elements.

Sean Murphy’s art is incredible as usual. It’s packed so densely with detail and constantly evokes the work of classic European cartoonists whose art demands to be examined multiple times. There’s an overwhelming amount of depth in each panel and I can’t wait to get more underwater action straight from his pencil. I also loved the fan-service to Murphy’s last project with the lead character wearing a “Flak Jackets” hat (read Punk Rock Jesus if you haven’t, flows superbly as a trade).

I don’t like to be a greedy reader, and I’m usually fine with waiting a month for the next installment. But I do feel like this issue would have benefited from a few extra pages, or from being a double issue. I’d have gladly paid more for it, just to have a little bit extra to sink my teeth into.

All in all this is a strong issue that gives us a taste of the direction that the series will follow in. But knowing Snyder our projections of the plot couldn’t be farther than the actual outcome. Very excited for issue 2, you can’t beat this kind of quality for the price point.

Cheers.