AHOY comics are back with a new series from writer Eric Palicki and artist Wendell Cavalcanti. Black’s Myth is an urban fantasy noir series that follows a werewolf detective and her djinn sidekick. It’s synopses like that that just reel in readers looking for something different. Of course, it wouldn’t be an AHOY comic without some extras, and this book comes with the short stories “Contactless” and “The Sil” by William Brashears and Vickie Smalls respectively.
SPOILERS AHEAD for Black’s Myth #1!
The Good
Black’s Myth is something new, not just for AHOY, but for store shelves as well. The first black and white comic to be published by the company, the book is a breath of fresh air. Genres breeze in and out of favor at a rapid pace these days, and so mashups like this are a great way to keep readers invested. The book features everything you’d expect from a noir — the gritty detective, the sidekick, the black and white artwork, the violence and the L.A. setting. But it’s what you don’t expect that makes the book fascinating. The protagonist, Strummer, is a werewolf and her partner, Ben, is a djinn.
One of the traps with series like these is introducing the world to readers without bombarding them. This is an L.A. with werewolves and djinn, not to mention Strummer’s moderate control over her ability to transform. But Eric Palicki’s script does a fantastic job of easing readers into the book. The noir voiceover does a lot of exposition work, but it never comes across like exposition thanks to the captivating plot. There’s so much Palicki and Cavalcanti must introduce, it’s impressive just how well they’ve pulled it off. The contrast between the gritty realism of the noir and the fantastical nature of the characters lends itself to some great scenes. Black’s Myth #1 is one of the quickest books to invest readers in a completely new world.
It needs to be added that the artwork is more than just black and white. Cavalcanti’s art captures a great amount of detail, and the 2×3 and 3×3 panel layouts control the pace, as well as the readers’ eyes. The noir coloring is just the icing on the cake for this book.
Of course, as this is an AHOY book, there are extras. The two prose pieces are great in their own ways. Both manage to create a sense of catharsis despite their very different plots. “Contactless” feels so current, while “The Sil” is a classic horror story. The book is worth reading for the main chapter anyway, but these two stories sweeten the deal.
The ‘Bad’
There’s really nothing to complain about here. Black’s Myth is one of those books with a great premise that just hooks you from page one. Even if you’re not a noir fan, there’s plenty to spice up the genre and reel in new readers too.
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