Crossover #1
Image Comics
Words by Donny Cates
Art by Geoff Shaw
Color by Dee Cunniff
Letters by John J. Hill
What happens when the world of comics becomes a part of the real world? Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw who worked together on previous titles like Buzzkill, God Country and Thanos try to answer this question. It is worth noting that there is high speculation DC and Marvel might be making appearances in this series. One telling note of this is Mark Waid’s involvement as an editor.
Crossover takes place in Colorado and the surrounding states. With a huge toll and the loss of the state, many now look to rid the world of anything comic related. Those who are still sympathetic to them are considered pirias to society.
One panel that deserves its own analysis is when Ellie goes into work and there are protestors outside. Many of the images depicted are similar to what you would find outside of Planned Parenthood. The analogies used in that panel sets the story into real world events as this would be something that would happen if comics came to life.
Cates crafts a story very unique in the way it’s presented. It’s rooted in real world scenarios and the reactions are similar to what is happening in the world today. Using religion to help accentuate the scoop of how horrible the situation is and the negative view of comics.
The art in Crossover fits the theme and feel of the story perfectly. Shaw is able to compliment the story by adding little nuances that ties many themes together. The details and skills used shows how carefully crafted each character and panel are. The character design and setting are done wonderfully and allows them to have fun with Image properties. If the rumor is true of Marvel and DC being involved, then it’ll be fun to see so many different charter styles being used.
Cates and Shaw are taking a massive chance with Crossover. The story is similar to a reverse Gwenpool, where instead of one person entering the world of comics, all of comics enter the real world. With many hints and nods to the rumor of iconic DC and Marvel characters being used, it’ll be a unique story that few creative teams can handle. This would be a concern if not for Mark Waid’s involvement in it. He has worked at both companies, creating iconic stories and is considered as one of the best comic historians.