SMALL GODS #1

Jason Rand – Writer
Juan E. Ferreyra – Artist

Published by Image Comics / http://www.imagecomics.com
32 pages, b&w interiors

I’ll don’t mind telling you that I am really excited about this comic. SMALL GODS is a world where some people have psychic powers. It is a subtle world, very much like our own, except a few people have begun developing these extra special abilities. Writer, Jason Rand, is able to smoothly and clearly describe to the audience the current state of the world and how it has adjusted to this new advancement in humanity, with new laws, new prejudices, and new jobs. This comic has been designed to cover a variety of themes and subjects, and the first story arc is a very realistic feeling crime story.

The psychic elements in this story are an additional layer of interest to drive the plot, not a crutch to overwhelm or distract the reader, (like some writers might use it), to cover the fact that they didn’t know anything about police investigations or procedures. Detectives Owen Young and John Meyer feel like real characters reacting to real situations. The reader is introduced to a new form of police investigation to track down violent crime, hopefully before it happens. And the reader gets to see how important good old fashion police work and gumshoeing is also needed in this new world.

Jason also shows us the personal side of life for someone gifted, (or cursed), with special powers. How would having precognitive powers effect your love life? Your sleep? Your privacy? These are all elements that help build fascinating character development. I hope to see development like this in more of the characters in this story and in future arcs as well.

To balance the top-notch writing in SMALL GODS, artist Juan E. Ferreyra has stepped up to the plate. Juan is a one-man-band; he penciled, inked, and greyscaled this book. The thing that stood out the most to me is his attention to detail in the settings and backgrounds for each panel. The exterior shots of a low-rent hotel, a city street, or skyscraper with a bank on the ground floor all look crisp and real. Juan also brings uniqueness to each character’s style and face.

The interesting thing about SMALL GODS is that the elements of the fantastic in this title do not have over-the-top comic book visual special effects, so an artist with a strong look of reality in his work, like Juan, is perfect for this book.

My only complaint with the book would have to be that it is in black and white with grey tones. Normally, I love black and white books, and there are plenty of great ones available to be read, but this book just feels like it should be in color, to me. I don’t think that the fact that this story arc is a crime story is enough to make this a colorless book, because future arcs may have nothing to do with crime or police drama. I’m crossing my fingers that this title will get the widespread recognition and readership that I think it deserves, and that those sales will make it possible to print SMALL GODS in color.

Reviewer: Jon Hook

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Jon Hook is a freelance writer/creator. Any publishers that would like Jon to do a review, please feel free to contact him through Ed Dukeshire on the contact page.

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