In an age when comic crossovers are a dime a dozen, a new kind of crossover is about to begin in Ram V and Dan Watters’ The One Hand and The Six Fingers. Starting with The One Hand #1 on February 7, 2024, Ram V and Laurence Campbell reveal a detective noir set in a surprise time and place, which is directly connected to Dan Watters and Sumit Kumar’s The Six Fingers. Together, they tell a mystery that feels complex, as noir as stories come, and cutting edge.
Intended to be read one after the other (read my review of The Six Fingers #1 here), this story is about obsession, loneliness, and a commitment to finding the truth. The story follows Detective Ari Nasser on the day he is set to retire. In an opening exit interview, we learn his point of view on things and his inability to give up. Likely a strong feature of a detective who is accomplished. Set in a future metropolis known as Neo Novena, the story follows a path of ritual and repetition.
That repetition is seen in the fact that the “One Hand Killer” was caught. Twice. And now that same killer seems to have returned. That weighs heavy on Ari, who Ram V draws your attention to in a way akin to some of the best hard-boiled detective noirs you’ve ever read or seen. This is a man who seems to be on edge, not necessarily a danger to himself or others, but someone who has a relationship to his work that’s unhealthy. In one key scene, we see him let his hair down only to discover it’s all a big lie. It seems the big case that has reared its head for the third time might be the only thing that gives his life any meaning at all.
Now, this is noir.
Credit: Image
As far as detective noirs go, a few things make this story stand out. The first is the setting, which allows Ram V to explore the sci-fi nature of a possible future. This world is rendered very close to our own, which any futurist would tell you is accurate. It’s not that the future is brand new, but wallpapered over with hints of another world on top of the old.
Campbell and color artist Lee Loughridge bring a dark tone to the series, with most panels cast in shadow, with even shadows from window shades cast overshadow. There may be flying drones cast in light blue, but the muck and grime of the city seem to blend in with the shadows, making for a world darkly evil rather than hopeful and bright. Some of the renderings, especially the crime scene, and faces, have a hyperrealistic look, not unlike Andrea Sorrentino’s work. The grit and grime are visualized in a way that’ll make your skin itch.
A through-line for this and The Six Fingers is color artist Lee Loughridge and letterer Aditya Bidikar, which connects the series well. Bidikar’s hand-drawn word balloons and lettering stand out, especially when word balloon tails trail off the page or go behind objects in a scene. I particularly liked how word balloons connect.
Another standout is the mystery, which offers a few clues in this first issue to pique your interest. The murder is something straight out of Se7en, as it’s disturbing yet confusing to even comprehend. What kind of person could do such a thing, you might ask. Then you go and read The Six Fingers #1 and learn exactly what kind of person that is and how they could do such a thing. Avoid spoiling here, but it may have something to do with the past. Ritualistic and not of the present future, there’s an interesting backstory that will likely lead to truths that could act as commentary on the time period itself.
The character work of Ari is compelling, albeit he isn’t easy to root for. He’s a good guy, doing what he can to solve crimes, but he’s also so work-obsessed and lacking in a normal, relatable life that he’s also a bit of a robot. He’s humanized, but not to the extent that I’d say we want him to win or lose. We’re observing a man on a mission not because he must commit to it but because he’s almost on rails.
At its core, this is a story about a person whose entire purpose in life is being challenged for the third time. The hook of the mystery paired with a guy with nothing to lose will have you coming back for more. The One Hand is an extremely dark, melancholic, and violent mystery, smartly blending sci-fi and horror.
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