Injection #1
Image Comics
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Declan Shalvey
I’m going to say this now: I really like Warren Ellis. Granted, the only book I’ve read from him is the ongoing “Trees”, but due to his fantastic exploration of sexuality and his mature handling of transgender characters I really, really like and respect Warren Ellis.
However, this is –not- about why Trees is a fantastic comic and you should totally go buy the first trade and love it. This is about Ellis’ new comic, Injection. Injection #1 is a really striking and interesting read, throwing the reader into a story already started. We begin in Sawling Hospital with Professor Maria Kilb
ride meeting a woman known as Control from Force Projection International. After a conversation between Control and Maria about sandwiches, missing people and assets, we flashback to the first meeting of the Cultural Cross-Contamination Unit.
We meet a much younger Maria and are introduced to Robin Morel, Simeon Winters, Vivek Headland and Brigid Roth. After leaving the past on an optimistic note, we return to Maria making a phone call to Brigid and asks her to help with data processing and after mentioning something called ‘The Injection’, Brigid agrees. Afterward we move to the countryside of Britain, and reconnect with Robin who meets the Permanent Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Time and Measurement. The Secretary is there to offer Robin a job at the Breaker’s Yard. There is no mention of what the Breaker’s Yard actually is, but Robin seems extremely displeased even at its mention. After the Secretarty saying that Robin’s skills as a Cunning Man are not being used properly, Robin leaves.
Rejoining with Maria we are led into the AAA (Actionable Archaeology Annex) and there we see a self-contained storm inside the room. Maria looks confused, and so am I. The last few pages are Brigid going to fix some tech for the Dublin police, and then seeing a mutilated man who speaks her name and all around him are screens filled with a symbol that has appeared on both Brigid and Maria’s arms.
Overall, this is a very good first issue. Ellis’ writing is very inclusive and the story is everything you want in a first chapter of a mystery. Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire absolutely kill it on art and colouring, I couldn’t think of a better team on this book. Fonograpiks’ lettering is great. This is a great team and one I hope that continues.