Comic Review: Blackbird #1

Blackbird #1

Image Comics

Writer: Sam Humphries

Artist: Jen Bartel

Blackbird #1 introduces readers to Nina and a world full of hidden magic. Nina is able to catch glimpses of this magic from time to time and has been able to for years. The thing is, no one believes her, and the one time that everyone saw something magical, they were all forced to forget it. Everyone except Nina.

Blackbird is a new ongoing series from Sam Humphries (Jonesy, Citizen Jack) and Jen Bartel (Jem and the Holograms). This first issue has a serious urban fantasy vibe to it, and fans of magical worlds will find a lot to love here.

Humphries has a great concept with Blackbird, and for the most part, executes successfully. The characters and plot are properly established, and the pacing is fairly solid, if not a bit slow. Nina is an easy character to relate to, especially to young adults. Nina constantly dreams of having just a little more magic in her world, and honestly, who doesn’t want that? Unfortunately, Nina’s sight has lead to quite a bit misfortune, including the loss of family. Now, Nina is down on her luck, struggling with drug addiction as she waits for something to happen in her life.

While Nina is a fine character, some will be annoyed by her narration, which fills the issue with angst. For those that aren’t turned off by her character type, there is a lot to love about her. She is a reliable narrator that is both honest and assured. She comes off as authentic and it is easy to understand where she is coming from, despite the magic visions and all.

Outside of the character work, the book truly succeeds at presenting the magical world around Nina, and this is all possible because of Bartel’s art. I’ve been following Bartel for a few years now, and it is wonderful to finally see her work shine in a major comic book. Her characters look fantastic, and the fantasy looks even better. From vivid colors to incredible beasts, Jen makes the world beautiful and intimidating. Bartel’s work makes Blackbird #1 worth the price of admission by itself.

Blackbird #1 won’t be for everyone, but for those that dream of our world having just a little magic, there is so much to love. It certainly isn’t flawless, but Humphries and Bartel have successfully built a fantastical world for readers to fall into.