Wild’s End #1

By Dan Abnett & I.N.J. Culbard

There seems to be an influx of comics about early time periods being invaded by aliens. Still, there seems to be something uniquely interesting about Wild’s End. Its debut issue this week follows a small 1930’s English village populated by anamorphic villagers, whose quiet community is upset by the arrival of robotic space invaders.

Dan Abnett is no stranger to science fiction stories, but there is something that feels playful by using humanoid animal characters to tell this story. Now, this could sound similar to the recent Usagi Yojimbo Senso that also has anamorphic characters dealing with aliens; however, in Wild’s End none of these characters are battle trained samurai. These characters are just friendly neighbors living very quiet lives. This 1930’s setting with these types of easily memorable characters made Wild’s End a very plucky read.

Culbard’s artwork is a huge part of what sets the tone for Wild’s End. There are so many different elements that combine in this story and Culbard nails them all. He captures that feeling of 1930’s England, pulls off a classic pulp style of sci-fi and makes these animal characters equal parts relatable, distinctive and cute. His simple artistic approach paired with a bright color palette is the perfect fit for Wild’s End.

Wild’s End was an excellent debut comic. A well written story, eye-catching art, and intriguing characters are all part of Wild’s End‘s perfect formula for a fascinating read. If you enjoy sci-fi stories, period pieces or just talking animals wearing clothes, Wild’s End is definitely worth your time. It’ll be exciting to see how this story branches out from here.