Review by Lily the Intern #LilytheIntern
Jeepers Creepers Vol 1 – (Dynamite / Andreyko / Baal) –
Grad student Devin Toulson is writing his dream thesis on Myths in American History, but when his research takes him on a journey reaching back centuries, Devin finds something horrifying. Something that crosses cultures, locations, and eras. Something that returns for a bloody feeding every 23 years. Will this young man’s investigation uncover simply an urban legend or will he come face to face with an immortal monster that has terrorized humanity from the shadows since man first walked the country?
Jeepers Creepers Vol. 1: Tale of the Beast is the first and latest comic in Dynamite’s horror, thriller series. Danger appears to lurk in every corner when Grad Student, James, is trying to finish his thesis paper by traveling to Mexico City and exploring uncharted territory. Will his thesis be worth risking his life, and will he realize the greater danger that is looming over him before it too late? Although I have never seen the original 2001 movie before, I still was able to read and enjoy this fascinating adaptation from the talented minds at Dynamite, in which I have had very little experience. This talented crew includes but is not limited to writer Marc Andreyko, artist Kewber Baal, colorist Jorge Sutil, letterist Taylor Exposito, and editor Matt Idelson. The Jeepers Creepers series is the polar opposite of the comics I typically read, which mainly consists of Adventure Time and other comics from KaBOOM. Although I do enjoy a light hearted story, it was really fun to read something bold daring, and I really enjoyed it. I had never read something with art, story, and character as unique as these, and I look forward to seeing more in the future!
I love comics that I am immerse myself into, and this as no exception. From the start, I was instantly drawn into the story, and couldn’t put it down until the end. Although this is a different comic than I typically read, I was very happy to have a chance in pace and read something different for a change. Although I am obsessed with cute, fun tales with happy endings, I find myself often wanting a dark brooding thriller to take me on a journey of mystery and intrigue. Marc did a fantastic job of creating this adaptation for both old fans and new. Now that I have read the comics I find myself wanting more, and I will soon be watching the original movie that this is based off of. Since I am a new fan, I did not spot any of the tributes to older fans, but I am sure that if I were to read it again once I see the movie that I would find many. I really appreciate it when companies like Dynamite create something of this nature for every fan, because it draws in many different audiences and can be enjoyed by a vast amount of the geek culture. This was a super fun comic to read, and it was made even better by the graphics.
The art style of this comic was truly amazing and was unlike anything I have ever seen before. Baal’s dramatic lines and characters fit the story flawlessly. Since this is an action thriller, the comics should have a certain style to convey the mood presented, and this did not disappoint. It was filled with bold lines and graphic colors, and the overall color scheme consisted of dark tones and some lighter primary colors. As an artist, I have learned a lot about color theory, and it is clear to see that the creators of this comic know about it as well. It takes many years of practice and research to master different styles and techniques that make a comic book like this great. I can really tell how much time, efort, and planning went into this, and I can appreciate it as an artist.
The story itself was reminiscent of one of my favorite series, Indiana Jones. I am so excited to say that I had the honor of reading this crew’s amazing work, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for this kind of comic. The art was phenomenal, and I cannot wait to see what’s next in store for our hero in Jeepers Creepers Volume 2!
