A Comic A Day in May – Day 31: Resurrection Men #1

Writer Nicholas Stephen Paul and artist Rory Donald put their collective heads together to bring us the first issue of new three-parter Resurrection Men.

It tells the story of widower James Stone who is still coming to terms with the loss of his wife while he clings to some sense of a normal life with his teenage son Jude.  The daily grind of the school run and writing boring reports at work are all thrown into the air with the discovery that James has the ability to bring the dead back to life but it’s a new power that doesn’t go unnoticed from watchful eyes that are looking to gain from them.

James’ arm is twisted into taking his life in a new direction and with Jude used as leverage the cracks are beginning to appear in what was already a life being loosely held together at best.  The grim ramifications are fairly obvious as he starts to take his orders from his new “employers” but the bittersweet twinge hangs over him like a cloud when you know that he must realise that he may have been the only person that could have helped his wife.

That element is key to giving James the weight of the world on his shoulders and his longing to just keep his own world safe in its own bubble, is an unspoken element of the issue that keeps things finely balanced.  All those aspects are captured with some great artwork from Rory who manages to keep the crushing weight on James, the supernatural elements to his powers and the visions he has of his wife, all held together with the same desperation the central character finds himself hanging onto.

Strangely enough, the threat from the corporate heads who want to take advantage of James is a catalyst for upping the pace and it helps push the story along to a final reveal that generates the intrigue for the rest of the series with ease.  Great story, great art and with the second issue on its way this Autumn…….it can’t come quick enough.

This first issue also includes two prose stories – Conquistadors by David Taylor & Mara by Cassie Parkes – and they are both pretty slick additions to the release as it helps generate a history to the Resurrection Men themselves and opens up a mythology that helps give that main story an extra dimension of credibility.

You can get hold of the issue over on the Comichaus website or through the Comichaus app too.  Keep updated with the progress of this and their other projects over on the creator’s Twitter pages:

Nicholas – @NSPaulUK

Rory – @imnotdaredevil4

8/10

G-Man