Blow Away is the latest series from Hunt for the Skinwalker’s writer Zac Thompson. For his newest series Thompson is being joined by artist Nicola Izzo, who has worked on comic books like Buffy: The Last Vampire Slayer and Firefly: Keep Flying. Blow Away is being sold as combining Criminal and Snow Blind with the a neo-noir thriller genre. How will BOOM! Studios latest comic book series debut? Find out with our advance review of Blow Away #1.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Zac Thompson
Artist: Nicola Izzo
Colorists: Francesco Segala and Gloria Martinelli
Letterer: DC Hopkins
BLOW AWAY #1 SOLICITATION
“It’s CRIMINAL meets SNOW BLIND in this neo-noir paranoid thriller from acclaimed writer Zac Thompson and artist Nicola Izzo!
Unyielding wildlife photographer Brynne Brautigan, isolated in the remote cold of Baffin Island, sees something she can’t unsee. An argument, followed by an outburst of intense violence between two nearby climbers—did she just witness a murder? In a frantic search for the truth, Brynne discovers just what she’s looking for, but little does she know that more than the silent white of winter is keeping her company…
Hit writer Zac Thompson (Hunt for the Skinwalker, Cemetery Kids Don’t Die) and star artist Nicola Izzo (Buffy: The Last Vampire Slayer) team up for this neo-noir crime thriller rife with murder and paranoia, in the tradition of Fargo and Rear Window!” – BOOM! Studios
REVIEW
As soon as you open Blow Away #1 you see the immediate chemistry Zac Thompson and Nicola Izzo have as a creative team. They nail how to use the snowy mountain setting to deliver a high-tension story. The way the story is paced out in this debut chapter gets you to feel like an audience member watching a special on TV. There are even those “look out” screaming moments you may catch yourself doing while reading this comic book.
With Blow Away #1 focusing on Brynne Brautigan isolated as she captures footage for a story she is working on Thompson and Izzo focus on the solitary mood of the setting. Thompson does makes sure to write Brynne as someone who is doing something where she is truly on her own. There is no one that she is relying to help her work on the story she putting together. Every line of dialogue and inner monologue works to get you to understand her drive and motivation.
Best of all is how Thompson never forgets the importance of Izzo’s artwork to tell the story. The setting is so isolated that having Brynne constantly talk would’ve been unnatural. Izzo gets plenty of opportunity to have the artwork tell the story. Scenes are framed so the dialogue enhances what the artwork is drawn. There is clever usage of panels that look the same that make you wonder what the differences are because of what Brynne says or thinks.
The usage of the writing and artwork in this way allows the setting to be the real star of the story. Just like Brynne you are looking at each panel and page wondering if you’ll catch something. It makes the framing device of video footage make Blow Away #1 feel like a unique reading experience.
The moment everything changes in Blow Away #1 is timed well to shift what Brynne’s story is. How the things play out pushes Brynne to go from being an audience member to an active participant in what is going on in the snowy mountain. It is a great way to have the tone of the story shift what felt like watching a National Geographic documentary to a mystery thriller movie.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Blow Away #1 absolutely nails how to use the setting to get the reader invested in the main character and story. The chemistry Zac Thompson and Nicola Izzo showed as a creative was top notch. If you are looking for an intense mystery thriller, make sure to check out Blow Away #1.
Story Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10
