Comic Review: Middlewest #1

Middlewest #1

Image Comics

Writer: Skottie Young

Artists: Jorge Corona & Jean Francois Beaulieu

2018 has been a great year for Skottie Young. He is showing a wonderful amount of improvement as a writer, and his creator-owned series are off to a strong start. This especially applies to Middlewest, which is already my favorite work from the talented creator.

Middlewest feels like your usual coming-of-age story, but it has an impressive amount of spirit behind it. Middlewest follows Abel, a young boy who lives in what appears to be a normal midwestern town. He is dealing with an awful father, his paper route, peer pressure, and a talking fox. The fox isn’t the only fantastical thing in Abel’s life, but I really don’t want to give away any more detail than I already have. Young has created a special story that will resonate with the right kind of reader. It feels like I’ve seen this story before, but again, it has that unexplainable spirit pushing it. Both the mundane and fantasy elements of the story are incredibly well written. Abel is instantly relatable and it’s easy to root for the kid.

In most books written by Skottie Young, I find myself wishing that Young was the artist. It’s not that his writing isn’t acceptable, it’s just that his art is so special and full of style. Middlewest is the first time that I don’t feel that way, and it’s not just due to a strong script by Young. Middlewest is one of the best looking issues of the year. Artist Jorge Corona’s work is gorgeous. The character designs are simple yet fun to look at. The storms are full of an incredible amount of detail that will impress even the most critical art snobs. Corona’s art by itself could drive the issue from beginning to end if it needed to. The expressions tell entire stories, with some truly menacing grimaces from Abel’s father.

Colorist Jean-Francois Beaulieu doesn’t just tie the package together beautifully but also defines it. The reds and yellows are intense and pull the readers into the chaos. The blues and purples manage to ground the readers once more. Following a rather tough scene to read early on, readers are suddenly thrown into a gorgeous Midwestern day with some of the most vibrant colors I’ve seen on a page. The creative team succeeds at everything they strive for in this debut.

To those who will resonate with it, Middlewest #1 is going to be one of the best debuts of the year. The setting, the protagonist, and the beautiful art all come together to show off some of the best that the medium has to offer. This won’t be a home-run for those who want a faster story, but for most, it will feel like a warm summer night.