From writer Rick Quinn and acclaimed artist Dave Chisholm (Enter the Blue, Miles Davis and the Search for Sound) comes a comic straight from the ephemeral world of sound in Spectrum #1. Less a narrative and more an interwoven mythology about music history, Spectrum is the sort of comic that reminds you what this medium is capable of with how it captures concepts in a way almost unapproachable in any other format. With a bold script and absolutely staggering art, this issue is a must read for fans of musical history and comics alike.
“Melody Parker is losing her mind. She’s living on the streets of Seattle during the WTO protests of 1999. She is seeing things. Androids. Aliens. Pigs in high fashion. And a creature named Echo—one of the Sustained: elemental beings with the power to alter reality through music. She invites Melody to join her as she brings about the end of the world. As Melody tries to escape this strange woman, suppressed memories from across vast spans of time flood into her awareness, bringing her very identity into question.”
Writing & Plot
Rick Quinn’s script for Spectrum #1 is a compelling yet odd beast. Readers are dropped into the life of homeless girl Melody Parker as she sits on the streets of Seattle, listening to music. Reality breaks open, and we follow Melody as she runs from an interdimensional space diva who is telling the young woman who she really is. We tumble through time, picking up pieces of musical history that are all loosely linked and equally melancholic. There’s a Grant Morrison quality to Quinn’s storytelling here, like a mix of Zenith and The Invisibles in the chaotic approach to plot and even to how the protagonists are thrown into the fray. The dialogue is less, well, dialogue, and more just flat out “storytelling.” Quinn uses stylized recollections of seemingly random events in musical history to make a thematic point. While doing this, he simultaneously fills in the blanks about who – and what – Melody Parker really is. It’s fascinating work that certainly won’t win everyone over. I look forward to future issues that will explain more of what’s happening with this story, and an opportunity for the plot to actually breathe a bit.
Art Direction
With a musically charged comic like Spectrum #1, Dave Chisholm is the best choice to bring the visual experience to life. If there’s a musically-charged comic book on the shelves, you can bet Chisholm has had a hand in it. The Enter The Blue creator throws readers into the time-hopping, dream-like story with his special brand of detailed penciling and unique design. On the outset, Spectrum almost looks like some psychedelic prog rock concept with its blend of Ziggy Stardust-styled mascot and the rest of the visual iconography. While this stuff is great, what really makes the book come together is Chisholm’s approach to the story’s humanity. His depictions of the real historical events bring out the beautiful melancholy of each incident. They go to remind us of the real people behind the art they made, and how art brings together people in ways we do not expect. The technical skill of Chisholm’s art here may be his most impressive yet. There are pages with dozens of figures on one page in almost collage style drawings, all with architecture in the background. His reality-bending panels feel like they could be great album artwork (which may be the point). Chisholm’s color art perfects the visual experience, with a wide array of vastly shifting approaches based on what “reality” we’re seeing. We go from the grimy, shaded colors of the Seattle streets to an almost pop-art styled brightness in a 1960’s music studio, then to the black and white of an old Sunday school room. Chisholm’s range in this comic is massive, making for possibly the best visual work of his already astounding comics career.
Verdict
Spectrum #1 is a wonderfully unique celebration of art, with comics as its chosen medium. Rick Quinn’s script is a daring swing for the fences, with a story I look forward to seeing develop in future issues. Dave Chisholm’s art reaches a new peak, with a wide range of visual approaches and top notch technical skill adding to the wonder and beauty of this comic book. Be sure to grab this debut issue when it hits shelves on November 20th!
