True Believers: Absolute Carnage - Mania #1 (re:view)

Welcome to a whole new adventure with... a comic for your dollar! Robertson, a person with so much to prove, investigates a strange going-on when someone calls out for help in a bunker in the middle of some antarctic. Let's dive in!

The issue is giving me The Thing-vibes as it's set in Antarctica with all-round horror elements. Not much is given away but of course, if you link the two with being a Venom comic, you can kind of guess that Symbiotes are involved. It's just a different type of alien infection you can say!

Some of the art doesn't feel right in a horror piece but it does pull it off in a strong manner especially when she finds a room where it's been totally ransacked. The expressions are very emotive and even the dog has strong emotions. I also love the extra element of the dogs barking as they sense a disturbance being more attuned to their surroundings. Saying that actually gives me the chills and there's one particular panel that just gives me the creeps. Furthermore, the question posed is of who (or what!) was truly calling out for her help at the base.

The characterisation of Robertson does feel refreshing, more so in a Marvel environment where I am so accustomed to characters, I immediately recognise. Robertson feels more grounded as she keeps it real with her emotions and finding in herself to do what's right. She characters actually been given multiple dimensions by the first half of the issue.

It ends with a true cliffhanger as the person she brings back starts convulsing. They've been infected by an alien - called it!

Subscribe? Yes!

There's a lot of suspense, underlying horror and humour in this issue mixed in with a likeable character in Robertson. I want to read more!

True Believers: Absolute Carnage - Mania #1 (originally printed as Venom volume 1 #1)
Daniel Way - writer
Francisco Herrera - penciler
Carlos Cuevas - inker
Studio F - colourist
Dave Sharpe - letterer
John Miesegaes - editor 
Axel Alonso - supervising editor
Marvel - publisher