Reviewed By Jorge Solis. Visually stunning and mysterious, “EI8HT” #1 hooks its readers with a twisted and nonlinear narrative. With a clever premise, the story kickstarts at a fast pace and doesn’t slow down. The artwork and writing go hand-in-hand so well in the first installment of “EI8GHT,” you will surely become an instant fan.
WRITTEN BY: Rafael Albuquerque & Mike Johnson
ART BY: Rafael Albuquerque
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: Feb 18th, 2015
In the snowy mountains, a young man has dropped all of a sudden from the sky. The man with no name has arrived in his spaceship for a specific mission. He is lost in the never-ending fields of snow, wondering which direction he is supposed to go. There are fragments of memories inside his mind telling him to do something. A killer has been sent from somewhere in the timeline, but he doesn’t know who his target is.
I really love how writer Mike Johnson played around with the nonlinear structure. Told from the point-of-view of the unreliable narrator, the mystery gains momentum, even while answering its own questions. When the narrator discovers his own real name, the story takes a dramatic left turn and surprises us with a another plot twist. We figure out what’s happening just when he is. I really like how the story makes readers question whether or not they should be rooting for the protagonist.
Artist Rafael Albuquerque captures a vibrant atmosphere with a variety of primary colors. Each color is supposed to have a deeper meaning as the protagonist meanders through his memories. The shades of blue and white enhance the coldness and isolation of the icy backdrop. In tight close-ups. Albuquerque depicts the protagonist’s struggle to understand his role and mission in his facial expressions. Albuquerque mixes elements from the past, present, and future, you keep guessing where in the timeline you’re supposed to be.
“EI8HT” #1 is an interesting sc-fi mystery/thriller with phenomenal artwork. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment.