You’ve probably seen it in a hundred movies, TV shows, or even comics. A massive monster arises from the depths of the Earth and begins to wreak havoc. Sometimes, it breathes fire. Other times, it comes from outer space. But the outcome is the same: it leaves a trail of destruction in its wake, and a world forever changed. Behemoth #1 asks the question: “What happens to the people who try to survive such an attack?”
It’s a gambit that may not have worked – there are monster movies that’ve struggled to make their human characters interesting – but where Behemoth #1 succeeds is by keeping its monster in the dark. There are only glimpses of it, but artist Jay Martin makes sure those glimpses are utterly terrifying. The Behemoth rips an ocean liner in half as it emerges from the ocean. Its breath reduces skyscrapers to steaming piles of ash. And what little is glimpsed of it is a terrifying, reptilian beast that looks like it crawled out of the pits of hell.
What really sells the apocalyptic imagery is Martin’s color work. Every time the Behemoth appears, it’s lit by an eerie red light that seems to radiate from its core, filling the skies (or in its first appearance, the seas, making it look like a torrent of blood is rushing at the reader. This is in sharp contrast to the rest of the issue, which is either done in cold blues, jet blacks, or gently glowing rays of yellow to indicate that the morning is upon us.
Dark Horse
But the true special sauce that makes Behemoth #1 a unique monster tale comes from writers Grant Sputore and Engle. Both are no stranger to monsters: Engle contributed to the screenplay for Rampage (one of Dwayne Johnson’s better films, and an underrated video game adaptation) while Sputore has been tapped to helm the next film in Legendary’s Monsterverse. They choose to put most of the story’s focus on Sara, an aspiring cook who is juggling a lot in her personal life.
This is a great choice because it gets us invested in Sara’s life. The story shows that she is working hard to win a food truck competition, and that said truck is essentially her home; a glimpse of a family photo indicates a hidden history that’ll no doubt unfurl in later issues. In a truly relatable bit, we see her hopping from job to job, even biking through a slowly flooded city just to get to her truck. Other characters, including Sara’s friend Manny and a jaded detective, come into focus right as the book’s big hook happens: the Behemoth swallows a city bus they’ve all boarded, but they’re still alive!
It’s a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I like it because given this thing’s size it’s a miracle Sara and the others survive. On the other hand, ending the issue there? That’s evil. Regardless, Behemoth #1 takes great care to separate itself from your standard monster story, thanks to a creative team that’s had experience with monsters.
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