In Sleepy Hollow Origins #1 we glimpse the backstories of our main players. Ichabod, Abbie, Jenny, Henry, and Abraham will all have an origin story that is, presumably, explored further than on the show. In the Origins #1 comic, we don’t get anything new. We peek into each individual’s mind as they narrate their respective tragic history. It works as a nice addition to the show. If you watch Sleepy Hollow, you won’t learn anything new in this issue. The comic serves as a fleshing-out but so far does not give the reader different or original material. This is fine; we’ll get there.

From here, we are going to explore Ichabod’s revolutionary war days, his decision to fight for the colonies, and the guilt he might feel for abandoning his country and his father’s wishes in the name of justice. In this issue we see an attempt at a therapy session with Jenny at the psychiatric hospital, and we will continue to follow her time there. We will watch Henry’s transformation into the Horseman, the rage and abandonment he felt. And we will follow Abbie as she transitions from criminal to cop.

Origins #1 is introductory, giving us a glimpse of what the next few issues will show us. Ideally this comic will allow us to get to know these characters better, to understand them further, but that’s hard to gauge from this opening issue.

What I can say is that so far I am pleased with the writing. Johnson switches between character’s points of view and maintains their respective, distinct voices. Bergara’s art is strong; the scenes at Tarrytown really stood out, and Henry’s panels were wonderfully frightening.

If you’re a fan of the show and of these characters, consider picking this up.

Score: 4/5

Sleepy Hollow Origins #1 Writers: Mike Johnson Artist: Matías Bergara Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/8/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital