Memorial is the kind of comic that just feels refreshing as soon as you crack it open. It could be because it was the last book I reviewed after a stack of superhero books, but everything about this book was a breath of fresh air. In some ways, Memorial #1 reminds me of how I felt after reading the first issue of Fables; a very small portion of a new world has been introduced to me, but it's so teeming with possibilities beyond the walls of this debut issue that my mind raced in search of where it might lead. Writer Chris Roberson has crafted a story about a young woman, Em, with missing memories that stumbles upon an antiques shop that may or may not be a gateway to a pocket dimension. The beauty of issue #1 is that it's difficult to tell if this is going to be a fantasy story, sci-fi tale, horror book, or a little bit of everything.
Roberson writes in a straight-forward narrative, which is actually quite refreshing in a world that thrives on inner monologue captions, and leaves the characterization to the dialog and interaction of the characters. While we don't get to learn much about our cast, we get the basics we need to carry us through issue #1. Better yet, Roberson shows off the same quirky humor that we know from iZombie as he introduces a talking cat that hates the beach. The only downside to issue #1 is that Em is an incredibly passive figure; she simply exists and reacts. While I'm sure we'll see her grow over the course of the story, it does make her a little less endearing from the get-go.
Without a doubt, the work of Rich Ellis steals the show here. Each panel is rich with detail – just check out the background objects once Em enters the antique shop and you'll see what I mean – and his knack for body language is impeccable. Despite Roberson being a little light on characterization in this issue, Ellis picks up the slack with the way he positions his characters and blocks his scenes. The fundamentals of graphic storytelling is not something that Ellis lacks. It might sound silly, but the cat is a perfect example of Ellis' talent; attributing human emotion to an animal isn't easy, yet it's handled here with excellence. If the story or characters don't hook you immediately, the wonderful artwork surely will.
Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on MyIGN. You may or may not discover a profound number of cat pictures.
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