Medic was not my favorite comic from Double Take’s new line. It’s a great setting, a hospital during a zombie event, but that’s currently all it has going for it. We actually start off with the couple that was injured in the first issue of Honor as they’re rushed into the hospital with a man that somehow chopped off two of his toes. He only has one of them to sow back on… From there we meet the doctor. He begins telling us a story all about his awkward childhood and how in another state he was considered slow and put in lower level classes. The story goes on and on and no one responds to the doctor’s awkward story. No one. I got the impression that he’s “just like this”, but by not having someone say something until after his long and awkward story… it leaves you wondering what the hell is wrong with this guy AND, everyone else in the room.
I’ve enjoyed the comedy in the other titles, but because of how strange the narration is in this issue the comedic moments end up feeling out of place. The guy with the missing toes constantly badgers the nurses about his toes and really I doubt the best of the best would have to sow them back on. It was funny once, but then he just becomes annoying. Maybe his toes will come back to life and bite him or something, but for now it was just overkill.
Very little happens in this first issue, this is due to the doctor’s story. But the ending sets us up for a better second issue hopefully. We’re seeing the zombie’s pop up which again, in a hospital is very interesting. I have hope for this story, but this first issue was really rough.
The art was actually very good. There’s a bit more style to it than a lot of the other Double Take titles. There’s ticker line work and overall it stood out to me. It’s just not enough to save the issue though. I liked that the two characters from Honor were recognizable, but the art overall isn’t given the chance to shine through the story. Its left just trying to make the panels interesting while the doctor gives us his life story uninterrupted. Again, Medic wasn’t my favorite Double Take issue.
Since I haven’t commented on covers yet for any of my reviews I will take this moment to talk about them as a whole. Medic obviously has a great cover; a nurse with blood on her white uniform and she’s attractive. What I like is that it gives the book personality and atmosphere, but some of that is lost in the interior. That’s a kinda sorta problem with a few other titles as well, the cover sets the mood, but the interior doesn’t follow. I’m not talking about different interior art, that’s just a granted in this day and age of comics, but just the lack of atmosphere. Medic should be creepy like the cover, but this first issue isn’t. Overall though, the covers for these titles are pretty damn good. There’s only one that I was “meh” about, but overall just a nice batch of iconic covers.
I hope that Medic improves and that we’re not left with the rambling doctor telling us his life story every issue. Though in saying that I think I would find that hilarious and read it, but really this series can do a lot more. I’ll be back to see what the second issue has to offer, but this is definitely one of if not the weakest in the Double Take line up.
Score: 2/5
Medic #1 – “Flatline” Story: Bill Jemas, Brian Finkelstein Script: Brian Finkelstein, Mike Soviero, Michael Coast Layouts: Julian Rowe Pencils: Marco Castiello Publisher: Double Take Comics Price: $2.50 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital