An engaging start drags out into a relatively simple mystery, boosted by two great characters at the center. Catherine Allingham is the genius detective, and James Doyle is her ex-bouncer bodyguard/voice of reason, both seeking answers to questions they aren't certain about to begin with. Waid, even at his weakest (and this is not his strongest work) is still a phenomenal writer, and Mink Oosterveer's artwork is Mignola-esque yet still modern in its presentation. Lately, I've been spending my days watching my way through the entire 12 seasons of Murder, She Wrote on Netflix. I love it. I don't know that I should, but I do. And I like it a lot. So I guess that may be why I'm rating this a little higher than it deserves. Because I enjoyed it for no good reason and not because it is any great shakes. And really that's what this book is. Murder, She Wrote meets Kolchak: The Night Stalker. The positives of the book are that it has two very strong and likeable lead characters. It has a somewhat cinematic edge to it. It involves investigating the afterlife, a cult, scientific discoveries of the soul and a Japanese golem. The covers are just some of the most gorgeous works around, comic books or no.The downsides are that the art is fairly awful and only barely competent. The colors look washed out and muddied. The story is rushed and hurried and it should have been afew issues longer to give us more insight and depth. The book is all surface so far, just like a TV drama. Sometimes the dialogue is stiff.But despite the downsides to the book, I was smiling all the way through it. Because I think that this series is just coming into itself. I think it has a bright future. And I'm hoping I'm right.
What do You think about The Unknown (2009)?
I was pleasantly surprised! Interesting premise presented in an interesting way.
—Sonia
The definition of meh, a Frankenstein's monster of like 80 bland comics tropes.
—Shine_18
This one was boring, by far the worst Waid story I have read.
—zeta
