TWO MOONS #1 review – Supernatural Civil War (Arcudi, Giangiordano, Stewart, Crabtree, Heisler) Image Comics

• Writer: John Arcudi
• Interior and Main Cover Artist: Valerio Giangiordano
• Colorist: Dave Stewart
• Cover Art Colorist: Bill Crabtree
• Letterer: Michael Heisler
• Logo Designer: Michael Gill
• Design and Production: Ryan Brewer

Thanks to Image Comics for the review copy!

TWO MOONS takes the horrors of the Civil War and layers on a supernatural element to amp things up a notch. The title character is Virgil, a Native American raised by white folks who fights in the Union Army. The writer has taken great care to avoid the indigenous people clichés that are often seen in movies. Virgil is not a savage trying to scalp people and he’s not a noble mystic with a deep connection to nature. It will be interesting to see what the writers do with the character in future issues.

Like the Civil War documentary by Ken Burns, TWO MOONS starts out with some narration via handwritten letters. It is an interesting approach to text boxes, and the burnt ripped edges are a nice authentic touch. The coloring also gives off an era appropriate feel, relying on washed out colors and a generally realistic style.

The story has a fair amount of bloody violence befitting a tale set in the Civil War (with at least one eyeball going flying). The wounds inflicted by the war are shown both in battle and in a town hospital, where Virgil meets a nurse who seems poised to become a main character in the series. The art does not shy away from the damage wrought by guns and barbed wire. Some supernatural creepiness is sprinkled throughout, and that is where the art shines. From the spooky apparition on the first page to the shocking developments in the last third of the issue, the art helps set TWO MOONS apart from other stories in the Civil War genre.

The premise for TWO MOONS’ story is interesting. It is still too early to get a feel for the main characters, but there is potential for Virgil to grow into something compelling. Given the subject matter, some parental discretion is advised. After the story is an interesting background on the book, which provides further detail into its characters and some hints about where the story is going.

TWO MOONS #1 is now out.

Check back in a few weeks for my thoughts on the second issue of the series.

Did you pick up the first issue? Are you going to get the second? Let me know on Twitter or leave a comment below!