REVIEW: Devil's Highway #1 from AWA
Devil’s Highway #1 is out July 1, 2020.
By Wesley Messer — A good thriller is my jam. Which is why Devil’s Highway caught my eye. The cover by Brent Schoonover and Nick Filardi was striking as well, which added to my curiosity. This is also my first time looking into AWA’s comics, an added treat. AWA got lost in the shuffle of all the crazy events this year. Basically, this is two adventures in one: a comic I’m curious about and trying out a new publisher…sounds like fun right? Well, let’s get on with the show here and see how this all goes, shall we?
With the story of Devil’s Highway, it took me time to process my thoughts. The actual idea of it didn’t really grab me until nearly the end of the issue. I wanted to like the general story a lot more than I did throughout, but it didn’t quite hook me until the last third. I did love Sharon to bits though; she was an absolute blast to follow as she went about trying to solving her Dad’s murder. Yet the way it was plotted was a little point A with her family mystery and why it was important versus solving her Dad’s murder. By the end, it clicked for me more but the middle was tough to get through initially.
What really helped it gel for me was the art team. Brent Schoonover’s art is expressive and striking in the best ways. When something bad is about to happen, the terror in their eyes hits you along with the character. Yet when you can see the expressions of sorrow and the way Schnoover captures the world Percy is creating, it works well. It does help grip you into what Percy is working on conveying to you. I appreciate that immensely. From a retro diner to a funeral home and all the creepiness in between, Schoonover’s art is spot on here.
Nick Filardi’s colors are absolutely gorgeous as well. The mood that his work sets over Schoonover’s art is spectacular. The deep shades of red before a scene of violence, the grey skies as snow falls, to the soft illumination of a morgue, it’s fantastic. It gives a visceral experience to the reader while setting a more natural atmosphere for this dark, realistic world. Adding in Sal Cipriano’s lettering, it’s at points subtle and yet powerful as needed. When you see someone telling someone to run, you feel it as that run pops out at you. Then on a subtle note, the font for the security cameras was perfect. From the subtle to powerful, Cipriano nails it.
It was an uneven experience, but this comic has the potential to be a great one as the story goes on. I could easily see myself reexamining this issue later to see where it fits into the larger narrative of this story. I would say for the potential alone, give this a read. It’s not bad, it just didn’t click with me easily, but by the end, I was at least intrigued by what was going to happen next. Devil’s Highway is a bumpy ride but it ultimately evens out by the end of the issue.
Overall: It was uneven at first but by the end I was curious as to what would happen next. With an impressive art team and the seed of a cool idea, this series has the potential to go places. 7.5/10
Devil’s Highway #1 REVIEW
Devil’s Highway #1
Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Brent Schoonover
Colorist: Nick Filardi
Letterer: Sal Cipriano
Publisher: Artists Writers & Artisans (AWA)
Price: $3.99
Ben Percy (Wolverine) and Brent Schoonover (Batman '66) present a nerve-racking thriller examining murder in the dark underbelly of America's heartland. A young woman with a dark family secret embarks on a quest to hunt down the serial killer that brutally murdered her father - only to discover he is just one piece of a national network of evil that snakes across the country and hides in plain sight. To catch the devil she must first embrace the darkness within.
Release Date: July 1, 2020
Buy It Digitally: Devil’s Highway #1 via comiXology
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Wesley Messer