The Approach #1 Review: Horror Series Descends To New Levels of Horror

The Approach #1 Review: Horror Series Descends To New Levels of Horror

It’s October and we find ourselves in the midst of the best time of the year to celebrate my favorite genre, horror. Yes, there are plenty of films and TV shows to enjoy but we can’t ignore the literary works coming our way. Boom! Studios delivers just that with The Approach #1. Written by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley with art by Jesus Hervás and Lea Caballero, colors by Brett Weldele, and letters by Ed Dukeshire. 

The Approach takes us to a small town in the midst of one of the worst snow storms they’ve seen in a long time. The majority of the issue is spent laying out the setting and introducing us to some of our main characters. Haun and Hurley do some of their best work here as they introduce us to the scene and characters while slowly pulling the veil on the circumstances these characters will find themselves. As the small crew of the airport prepares to take in an aircraft and its passengers who are landing to avoid the weather, it’s all hands on deck and the team scrambles for what they say is going to be an all-nighter. 

The ambiance being presented here is very reminiscent of what I recall from Stephen King’s The Mist. Whether intentional or not, this really hit the sweet spot for me as it not only connected with one of my favorite authors but also one of my favorite works of his. This brings me to Hervás, Caballero, and Weldele. The trio work as a symphony that fills the panels with dread as it all slowly feels as if the walls are closing in.

It’s pretty damn impressive to be able to pull this off and even more when it’s in such a controlled environment. As a new aircraft descends upon the crew and passengers taking asylum at the airport, the crash-landed aircraft carries more mystery behind it than anything. The unsung hero here is Dukeshire whose placement and lettering are why he’s one of the best in the industry and ties this whole issue together to deliver a banger of an issue that sets the tone for the series. 

For an issue that spends much of its time setting the stage for what’s to come and saves the WTF moment for its final pages. It still managed to keep luring me in with the anticipation of the inevitable reveal of the horrors that came along with the approach of the mysterious airplane. 

Source: Boom! Studios