Coming Wednesday: Distortion Unlimited # 2 If a Cave In Wasn't Bad Enough

Posted by on Mar 8, 2011 in Review

Distortions Unlimited Issue #2

Written by & Pencils and Coloring by Daniel Crosier; Inked by Peter Palmiotti; Lettered by Wilson J Ramos.

A solid offering from Cosier, Palmiotti and Ramos.  Jumping into the series at Issue 2 was not a problem as it was easy to pick up the story even though it had already hit the ground running.  The story blends elements of fear, of being trapped and of things beyond our reality.  In addition is the coloring and the art which is produced on wood to give it a stylized look.  Distortions Unlimited is a quick read and enjoyable for both horror and suspense fans alike.

A cave-in is the setting for Distortions Unlimited Issue #2 and immediately set up the feeling of terror.  A group of miners enter a shaft searching for what killed a group of their fellow miners.  How could it possibly go wrong?  Well, let’s just say a number of ways.  First: The cave-in traps the miners from the world above.  Second: There is no proof of any wrong doing on the part of the mine’s owner but also no sign of a natural disaster.  Nonetheless, an overzealous reporter paints an ugly picture of the owner.  Third: One of the miners has a dream hinting at a great evil within the mine.  Fourth: The miners learn that they are not alone and that their new cavemates don’t discriminate when it comes to mealtime.  The fear is ratcheted up a notch or two and the ending leaves the reader to speculate on the fate of the miners.

The art adds a lot to the mood and feel of the book.  Between the pencils of Daniel Crosier and the inks of Peter Palmiotti, the art has a Richard Corban circa Punisher the End and a Mike McMahon early Judge Dredd feel.  The backgrounds are sparse with details at times but it simply adds to the fear of being trapped, not knowing where things begin and end.  The downside to the art is a couple of awkward panels.  The first example is the panel after the mine owner comments to the media on the possible reasons for the mine collapse as the image in the proceeding panel is unclear.  The following awkward panel is a verbal exchange between the mine owner and his assistant.  The two have clearly walked past each other and then the assistant makes a comment.  A better framing of the panel could have helped show their interaction.  The coloring was spot-on with use of muted tones and block aura affect that doesn’t color the entire panel.

The huge stand out in this book is clearly the dialogue especially the miners’ dialogue.  Without having any experience as a miner, it would be difficult to accurately use language miners would really use.  Not knowing what the creative team did to research miners, mining or even spending time in a mine, the team’s use of slang worked well as they were careful not to go overboard with any words.  Distortions Unlimited Issue #2 is another solid offering from Bluewater  Comics (available March 9th).