Universal Monsters: The Mummy #1 // Review
It’s 1912 and Helen isn’t happy. She’s still young. Growing-up in Thebes. It’s an uncomfortable place where the land is so hot that it’s difficult to breathe. That’s nothing, though. She has no idea how difficult it is going to be for her growing-up as the daughter of a British man and an Egyptian woman. Even this is going to probe to be a bit of a mild concern as she faces what’s ahead of her in Universal Monsters: The Mummy #1. Writer/artist Faith Erin Hicks opens a comic book adaptation of the classic film with colorist Lee Loughridge.
Helen is being told that her father has been hired by the British government to take the past out of the ground so that people will be able to see how their ancestors lived. She makes it sound so nice and innocent and not at all like disturbing the graves of the ancients in a search for wealth and curiosities. Of course...things are going to get particularly dangerous on this particular archaeological dig and it’s only really a matter of time before the supernatural comes sauntering out of the night laden with bandages in some ancient state of un-death.
Then Hicks shoots forward to 1921. Helen is older and dealing with all of the problems of coming-of-age in the 1920s. Hicks spends a lot of time establishing Helen as a character. The emotional connection with her is delicately handled in very earthbound dialogue between her and a few other people on an evening in Thebes. It’s an important investment of time that turns out to be quite beneficial. The reader bonds with Helen as she’s a relatable character with relatable concerns. When the supernatural finally DOES show-up, it’s got a firm, earthbound foundation for the shifting sands of horror to play upon.
Hicks’ art establishes a strong connection with Helen, which is absolutely essential for Hicks’ writing to work. She knows exactly what the writer is going for in the script because she IS the writer, but there ARE a few moments that feel a bit strange given the wide-eyed, soft-edged emotionality of the art. An accident involving exposed bone on the second page looks particularly goofy, but it’s largely well-executed stuff. There are some very elegant moments in the visual as well. Helen’s first sighting of the mummy by moonlight is particularly haunting. There are some gorgeous visuals in the first issue, but mostly Hicks’ biggest accomplishment as an artist lies in the vivid emotionality of Helen.
So this is the next one. Skybound and Image have been working with Universal on a few adaptations of old Univeral monster movies...this is a really nice addition to the profoudly powerful Frankenstein adaptation Skybound just completed. Hicks is a solidly respectable storyteller who should serve the strengths of the old horror film quite well. If Hicks’ first issue is any indicator, the series could be a deeply satisfying adaptation.
