By Svetlana Fedotov
Viruses sure are fun. Ranging from a mild cold to a full blown 28 Days Later zombie invasion, diseases are probably the only thing keeping human beings in check since we learned how to beat things with sticks. It is the great equalizer that branches across all societies, classes, professions, and wealth, and has led to some very famous horror stories; hell, it invented a whole genre: bio-horror. Adding to the growing list of all things germy and deadly, BOOM! Studios has recently released a tantalizing new tale titled The Empty Man. Cult worship and murderous blood lust rears its ugly head in this new horror, promising a world-wide epidemic that will destroy everything that we hold dear.
The comic opens up on a cult holding its services in a burned out gas station. For all intents and purposes, it looks like your standard, wacko congregation complete with healing powers, a dynamic leader, and a down-trodden flock of dismal human beings. But before you know it, its five years later, and the church has grown into a full blown religion, preaching to millions every week. Coinciding with its rise is a strange viral outbreak, simply known as The Empty Man. Scores of human being are suddenly turning violent, destroying everything that comes near before destroying themselves. Enter Special Agents Langford and Jensen, a pair of detectives assigned to contain, study, and hopefully eradicate The Empty Man Virus. After a routine investigation into another Empty Man case, this one involving a father, mother, and two missing children, things quickly begin to go weird as they nab a man who’s been following them around. Not only does this mysterious stranger know something they don’t, but brings something vile in with him.
The Empty Man is one of those comics that you just don’t see coming. It starts off like a lot of horror titles, particularly with bio-horror, where people are slaughtered left and right and no one knows what to do. You got some dude giving monologues, trying to explain the changes that are happening while everyone revs up for the Armageddon. But somewhere between the cynicism and the fantastic gore (seriously, it’s pretty on the ball), there’s a touch of realism in it that really pushes the comic forward. I’m definitely digging the X-Files type dynamic between the paranoid Agent Langford and critical Agent Jensen, giving the characters a very nice back and forth that works perfectly for a horror comic with more questions than answers. Also, the addition of a bizarre cult that’s obsessed with The Empty Man syndrome makes the whole thing entirely unsettling, addressing the idea of the plague being a welcome thing. In our current time of religious turmoil and opposing viewpoints, it’s entirely plausible that some would think that a terror of such proportions could not only be a sign of God’s wrath but a test of faith for those who believe. Perhaps it’s something we deserve.
The writer behind this ghastly tale is fan-favorite Cullen Bunn, a repeat contributor to the Marvel universe along with a couple of original series from Oni Press. His original horror works (The Sixth Gun, The Damned) had definitely prepared him for this bizarre comic and with BOOM! Studios’ commitment to creator owned books, he has been allowed to go full blown awesome on The Empty Man. As stated, the dialogue is fresh and realistic, bouncing organically between the two partners and the odd collection of human beings that they come across, and the story has a beautiful crescendo that refuses to allow the reader a chance to catch their breath. The art by Venesa R. Del Rey fits perfectly with the words, creating a dark and lurid world for the characters to get caught in. Sharp angled faces and detailed gore (for real, it’s Crossed quality) only stir the pot further as dark shadows practically bleed off the page, promising a terrifying tour of The Empty Man’s morbid reality. A great start to an epic horror read, The Empty Man #1 is currently waiting for you at your local comic shop.