From Image Comics, with a story by writer AJ Lieberman (Martian Manhunter, Batman: Gotham Knights, Harley Quinn), artist Mike Henderson (Dead Man Logan, Daredevil, Cable: Love & Chrome), and colorist/letterer Iñaki Azpiazu (Eki, Cruel Kingdom, Proof) comes a highly anticipated neo-noir series, The Hive.
Set in the homeland of strange, confusing, and bizarre (a.k.a. my home state of Florida), The Hive follows ex-members of a criminal organization known as, you guessed it, The Hive. Although our protagonists possess a strange power that allows them to command others through direct commands, they quickly discover that no one leaves the Queen Bee without getting stung.
Writing/Story
The first issue of The Hive starts with a bang, as the readers are thrown headfirst into a world of violence, crime, sex, and bees. Lots and lots of bees. Although quite a lot happens in the opening chapter of this tale, Lieberman does a great job of dividing the many characters and their portions into digestible bite-sized pieces, providing enough exposition to allow for a glimpse into their characters and relationships, without revealing much of their story. The most gripping of these characters is the Queen Bee herself, Shae, who is the source of all the fear and plotlines in this first issue. A calm but cruel monarch, no one in the story is unaffected by her presence and control. As a character, she seems to exist outside of the chaos of the first issue, yet paradoxically seems to control all outcomes just the same.
The highlight in the writing was likely the small preambles before the action begins or resumes at various points in the comic. The conversations in those moments feel real and natural, sometimes uninvolved with their violent world. There is a world of characterization that comes from the characters’ actions and lines, unrelated to their main goals and objectives, which gives these people a real personality within moments of introducing them.
Art Direction
Henderson’s art in this first issue perfectly complements the story choices and the chaos within the narrative. No member of The Hive seems to be a stranger to multitasking, so every conversation is usually accompanied by many ongoing visual actions, whether that be crime, sex, or intense showdowns. It doesn’t matter—there is no lack of happenings in their world. Henderson also uses framing and two-page spreads very well, with some scenes giving an intended suffocating feeling, only to be immediately contrasted by a similar environment, yet with a complete change in dynamics through panel density alone.
While sex and crime are used copiously throughout the comic, each character is represented differently in those moments through a layered use of shadows and colors—courtesy of Azpiazu—giving a profound sense of characterization and personality without overstating. This is exemplified directly in sex scenes, with certain characters being cloaked in shadows, face covered, with small panels showcasing hidden views of the act, as if in shame of it. Yet, the following scenes display a similar situation like a badge of honor, with bright bold colors showing the characters involved, displaying them proudly as their entire bodies face the reader. The lettering is also important to note here, as it can be very understated as the comic begins, with traditional textboxes being used for most of the first half. However, as the characters’ powers begin to be showcased and the action amps up, Azpiazu shows his hand and delivers some extremely impactful impact frames and diverse speech bubbles.
Verdict
The Hive #1 stellarly sticks to its bee motif, presenting a variety of “workers,” each with their own story, none of whom are as important as their Queen. While the first issue only leaves the reader with questions, there is no lack of action or exposition, allowing an enthralling mystery to unfold.
