Edward Scissorhands picks up several decades after the film. Megs wants to learn more about the man she’d heard so much about from her now deceased grandmother. But her mother is making things complicated, insisting that Grandma Kim was crazy and Edward was a murderer, and forbidding Megs from pursuing this further. Naturally, Megs is more determined than ever to find out the truth behind the stories. Meanwhile Edward remains alone and shut away from the world. In his loneliness, he animates another invention, a robot-type creature with claws like rusty, jagged clamps and a vital piece missing… though we don’t yet know what it is. The only indication that something is off with this creation- named Eli- is the bloody killing of a rat. This isn’t necessarily cause for concern; Eli has only just been animated, and it could be that he doesn’t understand the significance of taking a life. And as it happened off-screen, it could also be that Eli was just attempting to grab the rat, and accidentally killed it with his claws. All we know is he’s left a bloody mess.
Edward Scissorhands #1 is a good start to what I expect will be a really solid comic. It assumes the reader has seen the film, but I think you can get away with basic knowledge of it. (I think we all know the basics: Johnny Depp has scissors for hands. Poor guy.) I liked Rausch’s art, though it’s on the cartoon-y side, which I know isn’t for everyone. Together Rausch and Leth perfectly capture the overwhelming loneliness of Edward’s mansion, the general gloom of his life, and the stark contrast with the nearby outside world. It is a heartbreaking moment when he brings to life another invention and gives it a name. The decades of solitude are nearly palpable in that instant.
We don’t know Megs well yet, but we’ve glimpsed her curiosity and adventurous spirit, and I think we’ll get along just fine.
So: is Eli a misguided invention, or a killer? Is he destined for destruction, or for friendship? How far will Megs go to learn about Edward? Their meeting is inevitable, but whether it goes well is a different matter, and I’m ready to see how it all turns out.
This is a comic that I would definitely recommend to fans of the film. For those who haven’t seen the movie, this comic is for you if you like teenage adventurers, spooky tales and mysteries, or gentle souls trapped in destructive situations.
Score: 4 / 5
Writer: Kate Leth Artist: Drew Rausch Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 10/22/14 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital