The Hunger and the Dusk #1 Review

IDW Publishing presents an all-new ongoing fantasy series titled The Hunger and the Dusk #1 from the mind of acclaimed fiction writer G. Willow Wilson. Wilson rose to prominence in the comics world with her groundbreaking work on the 2014 Ms Marvel series, taking a major hand in inventing the fan favorite character who defined the 2010s for many Marvel readers, Kamala Khan. Also bringing the project to life are artist Chris Wildgoose, colorist Msassyk, with lettering by Simon Bowland.

The Hunger and the Dusk #1 opens on a quaint and idyllic village of rural farmers, as a band of orcs rides towards their settlement. Despite the expectations of both sides, both communities are decimated, as a new threat appears. Cutting ahead to six months later, orcs and humans must find a solution to their burgeoning mutual extinction, which bears an unlikely alliance in the company of human mercenaries and an orc mage.

The Hunger and the Dusk #1 trades wholesale in high fantasy, with sweeping world building, magic, mayhem, and ancient grudges. Wilson's fantastic grasp of the genre and mastery of its conventions make this book an instant hit for Dungeons and Dragons fans. This first issue is predominantly expositional, giving those coming from outside the genre equal opportunity to get invested, but nevertheless manages to perform all of its explanation and description in a stylish and relatively naturalistic fashion. The world building is structurally excellent, imagination and high-quality execution, as Wilson skillfully writes tense relationships burdened by history and ancient conflict that feel authentically complicated and construct unique characters. Alongside the flavor choices, there are several moments of genuine wit and levity in a book that is holistically very bleak, offering a nice tonal counterpoint, as well as enriching the world by making it feel more multifaceted and complex.

Wildgoose's illustration is powerful and strident throughout The Hunger and the Dusk #1, excelling across figures, landscapes and character design with art of exceptional expressiveness and clarity. Wildgoose maintains a complex style, working with a combination of thick and delicate lines to create bold shapes that consistently encapsulate smaller and more intricate details. This allows the comic to capture a rich variety of textures, and build a visual world that simultaneously feels striking and audacious whilst also teeming with information and intricacies. Wildgoose demonstrates a rounded understanding of the virtues of the fantasy genre with incredibly impressive action sequences: the violence of the comic feels visceral and immediate, with a real sense of dynamism and weight in the movement from panel to panel.

Callum and his company arrive at the truce negotiations.

The colors of The Hunger and the Dusk #1 are integral to the level of tone and atmosphere the comic is able to project, Msassyk making expert use of her pallets and saturation across every setting. The introductory section, mostly composed of balmy golden colors, infused with the innocence of childhood, and the final action sequence of climactic reds, oranges and purples are both visual standouts, in a comic where the colorwork is constantly adding extra dimension to the illustration. Bowland's letters are also very impressive, with a slightly hefty feel to them which adds a sense of gravity and weight that suits the epic scope of the narrative. The emboldening and italicizing choices add excellent rhythm and cadence to the dialogue, and although the sound-effects are largely generic, the variations in text-balloons work well where included.

The Hunger and the Dusk #1 practically has it all as far as high fantasy goes: bold storytelling, a deft eye for details, high-octane action and a host of interesting and varied characters. Wilson puts an interesting spin on expected conventions and springboards it into an exciting premise that has great storytelling potential on both a narrative and character level, already constructing and complicating its twin themes of conflict and collaboration. The Hunger and the Dusk #1 sets up a multifaceted story of incredible scope and potential, complete with compelling characters and visual aplomb that is sure to keep Tolkien devotees and skeptics alike eagerly awaiting a second issue.

CBR

REVIEW: IDW's The Hunger and the Dusk #1