Writer: Zac Thompson
Artist: Jok
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Thanks to Mad Cave Studios for the review copy!
Mad Cave is back with a new crime thriller from acclaimed creator and writer Zac Thompson (Into The Unbeing) and the amazing artist Jok (In Hell We Fight) from the sunshine state of Florida comes a dark tale of revenge and redemption.
This was a great start to what looks like another strong effort from Zac Thompson. I was pulled into the story almost immediately and found the first issue very emotional and heavy. It’s going to stick with you a while but that’s the point here! Zac allows you to feel and see what’s driving our main character to plot his revenge. It has several human elements. Dealing with the aftermath of a family member’s death, alcohol/drug addiction, and divorce. All of those things certainly tug on your heart strings. However, it’s also a very dark, brutal at times, and scary look at the world around us. Sure it’s an original and fascinating premise but you can’t help but think similar things have sadly gone on in our world as we know it. Maybe not to the extent that will unfold in this particular book but in regard to the body trade industry in the least. In fact, while I haven’t experienced these horrific events personally, I do recall going to a show in Toronto several years back that displayed deceased bodies and specimens for the betterment of Science. “Bodyworld”, as it was called, was all the rage for a time and the exhibit toured the world welcoming people to come and see the human body as you never imagined before. It was largely criticized as being heinous and inhumane and met with some questions regarding the origins of the bodies in the exhibit but I believe some form of it is still around today.
Backing away from my tangent, The Body Trade #1 is swiftly paced, intriguing to read and awesome to look at. Especially if you are a fan of Jok. He knocks it out of the park here and his pencils offer a gritty and detailed tapestry that is perfectly suited for this style book. I’m also a huge fan of any lettering done by Otsmane-Elhaou. It’s always easy to follow, perfectly placed, and adds that little extra something to the dialogue that carries some of the heavier tonal shifts and action.
My rating – 9/10 Excellent!
The Body Trade #1 is now available.
Are you going to pick up the comic? Have you already, if so what do you think of it? Feel free to leave a comment below or chat with us on Twitter/X at @TheConCollectve, Threads at @theconventioncollective, or Bluesky at @theconcollective.bsky.social
We’re always looking for new writers that are truly passionate about stuff – we give you the review materials, the platform and the support to say what you feel from the heart. If you’d like to write opinion pieces about pop culture topics or reviews, reach out to us using the contact us form.
