Penny For Your Soul - Death #1 Review

Penny For Your Soul - Death #1

Writer:
Tom Hutchison

Artist:
J B Neto

What do I need to know about this title to get started?

Penny For Your Soul - Death #1, is the first issue of volume 3 of the Penny For Your Soul series. In short, hell (yes, the big place downstairs, fire, brimstone etc.) is currently capitalising on the opportunity to steal souls. And what better place to stage this heist than in Babylon (A Las Vegas-like city of sin). Agents of Lucifer lure the weak and vulnerable to enter into contracts to sell their souls in exchange for some cash and the promise of good times (as is the case for Patrick, this issue's first victim). The capturing of souls through a mechanism akin to a market transaction makes this story engaging and interesting.

What can I expect from this issue?

SPOILER ALERT!! - Don't read this if you plan on buying this issue!

A little bit about the quality of the book first. I am always impressed with the exceptional quality of Big Dog Ink's comic books. Readers that purchase BDI's books are rewarded with a high quality book (great paper stock and print quality). I love owning BDI's stuff. They are comic books you want to keep forever.

My favourite of BDI's stories to date is the Penny for Your Soul series. It is fun and perfect for more mature readers, but has a serious sub-text about human actions, consequences and morality generally. You become engaged in an imaginative story to which readers can relate. Of course if you find creative writing about sin, christian religious doctrines about heaven, hell and morality a bit offensive, you might want to steer clear of this title. But if you did steer clear for that reason alone, you would be missing out.

So we start by being introduced to Mary Magdalene who is now in charge of the third circle of hell. She is running the show and wants to do things a little differently. As part of this scene, we are introduced to a woman who is being mistreated (in so far as one could be mistreated in hell, but ignore that paradox for the moment). We may discover her significance in later issues but it might just have been a plot device to introduce us to Magdalene. Either way, it makes for a dramatic and intense opening to this issue. We are later taken to Babylon where Danica begins to discover irregularities between the number of souls that have been purchased through contract and those that are actually reaching hell (call it an accounting irregularity). Through Patrick (a random unsuspecting victim of his own weakness) we discover the cause of the shortfall of souls making it to hell....her name is Eve. I won't say anymore, you must read the first issue of this series. You won't be disappointed.

What did I like about this issue?

The story flowed through this issue perfectly. A real tribute to Hutchison's writing. Readers are given a glimpse of hell as it operates in the context of this story which is important for new readers that might be new to Penny For Your Soul. We are introduced to a new character called Eve and are given a glimpse of what motivates her. Each part of this story is well paced and provides just enough information to keep you wanting more. This is an extremely well written first issue. The art by Neto is dark. Characters are given very heavy shadowing which conveys the darkness that surrounds them. My only criticism would be that I have in the past liked the vibrant colours of the previous series. It would seem that this volume might be taking a different direction, which is okay, I still thought highly of the art in this issue. I love the way Eve has been drawn as well as the colours chosen for this character. She jumps right off the page (well done Oren Kramek on colours).

What did others think about this issue?

No reviews to recommend that you read just yet...sorry!

What do I give it?

Grade: A

This is a solid start to a favourite title of mine from Big Dog Ink. If you have enjoyed this title in previous series', you will enjoy this issue too.