BOOM! Studios’ latest comic is here to haunt your dreams, leaving readers wondering what happens when major cities begin to vanish. The Displaced #1 has Ed Brisson (writer), Luca Casalanguida (artist), Dee Cunniffe (colorist), and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (letterer) at the helm.
The Displaced #1 brings readers to a world where major cities can disappear without a trace and, soon enough, without any memories. If that doesn’t terrify you, it probably should. This series strives to make readers believe that it can happen to any of us.
It all starts in the middle of the night in Oshawa, Ontario. First, there was a tremor. Soon, those tremors became something much more nefarious. The few survivors near the edges of the disappearance know more than anyone else, which isn’t to say much.
We can thank the minds of Ed Brisson (Batman: The Brave and the Bold), Luca Casalanguida (James Bond), Dee Cunniffe (Barnstormers), and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou for bringing this story to life. It also raises the question: how would you go about proving a disappearance as large-scale as this?
Writing
Reading The Displaced #1 is a unique experience. It feels like a classic sci-fi show, with certain horror elements woven into it. Picture the early setting of a Stephen King novel, and you’ll have an idea of the vibe this new comic has created.
Ed Brisson’s sci-fi/horror wastes no time throwing readers into the deep end. One moment, we meet the (presumably) main characters, and the next, their world falls apart. Despite this quick introduction, the series has already delivered several surprises.
We all know that people are going to disappear — that there will be loss and pain. Thus, there are certain assumptions made right from the start. Brisson does a good job of twisting some of those assumptions. This reader was surprised by who disappeared and who remained.
Each character involved has a rich and complex life, making them feel real. It’s an essential foundation for the tragedy that will follow. More importantly, it’s the motivation we need to hope they’ll find a way back to their people.
Artwork
The bold artwork is an absolute highlight of The Displaced #1. It alone would make the story worth reading (thankfully, the plot is likewise compelling, so there’s no need to settle). While the night scenes try hard to steal the show, something interesting happens on every panel.
Luca Casalanguida is the lead artist for this project, and they did a great job bringing the characters to life. The visuals help us get a feel for their lives in the before moments — and their pain and confusion in the aftermath.
Meanwhile, Dee Cunniffe’s colors are a sight to behold. Sometimes, the colors feel more subdued — fitting into the cityscape of it all. But then there are those moments when the colors can run wild (the night skies, the explosions, etc.).
Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s letters help to tie it all together. Actually, it does more than that. The disappearance that occurs could never fit in an entire page of comic panels. So, the lettering does the work for us here, signifying when the world is about to shift.
Conclusion
The Displaced #1 is a compelling and surprisingly emotional start to a series. It demands investment from the readers while raising half a dozen questions that must be answered. Combine that with the atmospheric storytelling style, and it’s easy to see why readers will want to check this one out.
