Comic Review: Phantom Road #1 (Image Comics)

Synopsis: Dom is a truck driver carrying out a typical midnight run until he comes across Birdie who suffered a severe car accident. As they clear themselves from the wreckage, Dom discovers an artifact that flips their world upside down, entering a nightmarish realm full of monsters and creatures that mankind were never meant to see. What is Dom hiding? And can Dom survive long enough to escape, or will his past get him before the monsters?

Jeff Lemire writes this latest series, focused on the dark roads of uncertainty, centered on the protagonist, a truck driver named Dom. The premise is simple, but the mystery feels grand. Lemire knows how to make 32 pages feel like a quick read due to his ability to write a well paced book where the dialogue, mystery and action all flow seamlessly without feeling out of place, nor dragging the story. Dom’s descent into chaos as his life derails into the unknown is captivating, and leaves the reader wanting to know more about his past and how it correlates with his current dilemma as he tries to survive the eerie dimension that he finds himself in. Gabriel Walta illustrates this series, showcasing why he was a solid choice for this horror, thriller mystery of a book. Walta’s artwork has the right kind of rigidness and animated quality that gives every character a kind of mystery that calls everyone into question as to whether they are who they display themselves to be.

Jordie Bellaire’s colors really shine in this book, and might be the MVP due to how much atmospheric tone is added to the established essence displayed by Walta’s art. Bellaire’s colors, along with Steve Wands lettering highlight the ghastly, otherworldly energy that is displayed in the writing and art through textured hues that are evocative of Silent Hill in all the right ways. I often wonder how Jeff Lemire is able to write various books within periods of time, especially in regards to the world of comics. He’s pretty much written every genre one can think of for nearly every publisher out there, and yet, there is always enough creative juice in the tank to make another book that’s intriguing enough to invest time in reading. If you’re looking for a new supernatural horror book to check out, this is one of those books that’s worth reading and adding to your pull list for new comic book day.