Review: LAST STOP ON THE RED LINE #1
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Paul Maybury
Artist: Sam Lotfi
Colors: John Rauch
Letters: Adam Pruitt
Reviewed by: Tony Farina
Summary
Welcome to the Red Line on the Boston Transit System. Beware. The red line is full of people who look just like you and me, but in fact, they are monsters.
In this inaugural issue of Last Stop on the Red Line, readers meet Yusef, the only person who can seemingly see the monsters, albeit only in his dreams. Detective Torres begins her investigation after a grisly murder that looks like a cut and dry murder, but is not at all what it seems.
Yusef and Torres meet up by chance, but it turns our, there are forces at work as Yusef saved Torres’ daughter Beatriz from a flock of angry geese. Yusef comes to dinner at the Torres residence only to be run out when Mr. Torres shows up. There must be more to that relationship, but we will have to wait and see.
We learn that Yusef lives in a group home full of other “crazies.” Although, he is not crazy at all.
Positives
Last Stop on the Red Line starts with a bang. Unless you are squeamish, you will be hooked from page one. We start with running and monsters and a crime. We see it happen, but we don’t know why. Writer Paul Maybury waste no time and that is smart. This is only going to be a four part mini-series, so if we don’t care right away, we will never care. The first line of the book is, “I’m not sure which is scarier, when you see the monster or when you don’t.” Best first line of a comic in a long, long time.
Not to be outdone, the art team of Sam Lofti and colorist extraordinaire John Rauch, bring their A game. What is a monster? To you? Think about it. Got it? Now look at this:
Stunning right? The blood, which is pretty graphic I know, is doing double duty. The Red line is a train, but it is also much more than that. Well done all around. Also, that cover is spectacular. If you are into Mature comics and you can walk past that cover without wanting to open it up, then you are made of sturdier stuff than I.
Negatives
My concern is here is yet to be founded. This is a 4 part mini-series. There is a lot to unpack here and I worry that we might get short changed while trying to solve a mystery, stop monsters and figure out the odd family dynamic at the Torres place. For now, no problems with Last Stop on the Red Line but, it is something to consider.
Verdict
This book looks a genre and then spits on it and walks away. Horror, mystery, and a bit of true crime with some family drama as a kicker. That sounds like a lot, but honestly, it works really well. None of us are just one thing, so why bother pretending that our comics should be one thing. Don’t be the Last person to get on the Red Line. Get this book now.
