Well I’m actually a week late on this series, but I enjoyed it so much I couldn’t help put take a moment to catch up on it. I didn’t read the first volume of Hexed from Michael Alan Nelson, but fear not, it wasn’t necessary to read or enjoy this first issue of the second volume as all of the important details are brought up to us naturally throughout this first issue. I’ve actually read a lot of Michael Alan Nelson’s work over the years and most of it has been at BOOM! This series is different. It is by far his best work to date and frankly felt nothing like his previous work at all. Nelson has definitely polished his writing.
The story opens in an art gallery as a covert squad of thieves break in giving the impression that they’re in a fancy museum and stealing high value art. Then Lucifer (no shit that’s our main character’s name) pops in on them and informs them that the security system is a guy named Bob. She too is there to steal the picture they’re after, but her reasons are likely different. She dispatches the thieves quickly, but Bob hears all the noise and comes down. He has a heart attack and Lucifer feels bad because she knows he’s planning his wedding and is just a normal dude.
It’s a fantastic scene because it instantly shows Lucifer’s personality. She knows every important bit of info about this man and did her best to keep him from the scene so he wouldn’t be hurt or injured. It said so much about her personality and developed her as a character with just a few lines of dialogue.
With Bob knocking at death’s door Lucifer decides to put him in the picture. You see the picture she’s after is attached to a binding frame; which is a magical trap to keep a person imprisoned in the painting as they are. After transporting the frame and painting, Lucifer jumps inside the painting after marking herself and grabs Bob. The problem is… this is someone’s prison and now they have a way out.
The story is straightforward for the most part which is good because we’re dealing with magic. It’s always annoying when stories about magic try to play coy and not give up any details. This first issue of Hexed is riddled with details, but none that are obligatory. Rather they fit with the narrative that Nelson has crafted. Nelson’s dialogue is also spot on and again a marked improvement from his last work I read.
I’ve become a huge fan of Dan Mora’s artwork, so much so that I have an illustration of his as my desktop at the moment. He’s honestly a big reason why I checked this series out after seeing his fantastic illustrations on the independent series Quixote. To no surprise his work here is great. Mora’s style is prefect for Hexed because it’s the mixing of fantasy and our world. His range of talent is also showcased on this issue when Lucifer ventures into the painting. Overall just a wonderful looking book, thanks to Gabriel Cassata’s coloring as well.
If you missed this issue last week then do yourself a favor and go back and get it. I’m glad that I picked it up and I can’t wait to read the next issue and even check out the first volume as well. If you like magic and dark fantasy with sharp dialogue then it’s a series for you.
Score: 4/5
Writer: Michael Alan Nelson Artist: Dan Mora Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/13/14 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital