The Moon is Following Us #1 tosses readers into the deep end of a surreal science fantasy adventure already in progress. Daniel Warren Johnson and Riley Rossmo’s introductory issue presents the audience with a mother and father duo embarking on a dangerous quest the specifics of which are vague, but which centers on the fate of their child. Readers are propelled through a brilliantly illustrated adventure at a breakneck pace until finally arriving at the end, where a clearer picture of what’s happening recontextualizes everything. When the reader closes the book, they may be left wanting answers, but likely eager for the next installment.
Our heroes are Sam and Duncan, parents of Penny, whose life hangs in the balance of a struggle involving talking humanoid frogs and a skeevy batlike succubus who deals in fantastic black market technology. While both Sam and Ducnan are clearly dedicated to the well-being of their child, their commitment takes different shades. Sam seems willing to do anything, without question, to save Penny, regardless of what it costs her or Duncan — physically, mentally, or morally. Duncan is more concerned with what happens after they rescue Penny, whether its worth saving her only to then present with two traumatized and morally compromised parents, and perhaps a bleak future ahead.
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These attitudes could be seen as overly gendered, Sam playing the overly emotional woman while Duncan acts as her more rational male counterpart, but if that’s true then the traits present in inverted fashion, Sam being shown as the more willful and capable of the two, powered by her emotion, while Duncan’s doubts leave him, at times, fumbling and clumsy in his efforts. Regardless, the tension between the two carries the narrative of this first issue and anchors the readers in something meaningful before the larger scope of the story is made clear.
Well, that and Rossmo’s stunning artwork. Interestingly, Johnson and Rossmo are working together on this series given that Johnson has plenty of critically-acclaimed series under his belt which he both wrote and drew. Where a Johson-drawn version of this story might be a purely balls-to-the-wall heavy metal-infused affair, Rossmo’s more fluid linework leans into the dreamlike nature of the setting. The still moments feel quieter and the emotion on the characters’ faces a bit more subtle, their sadness more insidious and piercing.
Even so, The Moon is Following Us #1 is far from under the top. Genre expectations collide in moments like when a magical item summons a helicopter for a rescue and a frog that might otherwise be at home in The Wind in the Willows shows up in a VW Beetle with a mounted gun. Johnson and Rossmo, it seems, are letting their imaginations run wild on this one, and the issue is practically crackling with energy as a result.
The Moon Is Following Us #1 is a debut issue that leaves and impression. The artwork is stunning, balancing compositions that evoke chaos without becoming chaotic themselves. The twilight colors create a moody sensibility that speaks to the uncertainty at play, and the two leads prove relatable and remarkable, as does their quest, which asks prickly questions about the nature of a parent’s devotion to their child. The creators still have much to reveal as far as where we are and how we got there, though if every issue of the series offers an equally stunning adventure then I’d say there’s no rush. With visuals this stunning, readers should be more than willing to hop onboard and enjoy the ride wherever the epic journey may ultimately take them.ย
Published byย Image Comics
Onย September 18th, 2024
Written byย Darren Warren Johnson
Art byย Riley Rossmo
Colors by Mike Spicer
Letters byย Shawn Lee
Cover byย Riley Rossmo
