ADVANCE REVIEW: Cemetery Beach # 1

Written by Warren Ellis

Illustrated by Jason Howard

Warren Ellis is a comic creating mastermind, and it’s hard to believe that he is without an Eisner to say so. He has consistently been behind some of the more influential comics, and the more commercially successful ones over the last couple decades. Being responsible for comic characters such as Spider Jerusalem (Transmetropolitan), Elijah Snow (Planetary), Miranda Zero (Global Frequency), and, the cinematically-immortalized-thanks-to-Bruce-Willis, Paul Moses (Red) have easily helped list Warren Ellis as one of the greatest comic creators of all-time. 

His next project, Cemetery Beach, has him collaborating again with his Trees co-contributer, Jason Howard, which is currently being adapted for television. Ellis and Howard have a unique bonded chemistry as they tell a story and bring the pages to life. Cemetery Beach wastes zero time and spares no panels as it hits the ground running telling this story of a future not far away. 

This first issue reads like the ground level of a collapsing building on a high speed getaway from WWI purple hearts of the future. It is an intense thrill ride that follows a day in the life of a professional pathfinder and collector, Michael Blackburn. The hilarious dialogue within the opening act of the issue bares it all as Blackburn escapes a torture cell unit on pursuit of his worst collection assignment yet. His escape finds him in trouble with angry off-world eccentrics while his luck finds him a certain native guide. 

This is a fun first issue. Fast-paced, full of half and full page action spreads. The illustrations are stunning and the writing is seamless as the dialogue between our lead character and his guide are sprinkled conservatively throughout many of the pages. I really enjoyed this book, and I truly think we have another quality story from the mind of Warren Ellis with the equally as magnetic visual aids from Jason Howard.

I'm running low on cash money in the budget envelope marked "entertainment", Mr. Ellis. 
Once again.. I'll be first in line.

Cover C "Impact" variant by Howard