This Is How The End Begins: Reviewing ‘The Cull’ #4

Comic books have the capacity to be truly amazing transformative experiences, delivering stories beyond one’s wildest imagination from all genres. The Cull is truly one of the best examples of this concept.

This gorgeous science fiction horror mashup takes a more personal traumatic turn in the fourth issue, from Kelly Thompson, Mattia de Iulis, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Comparing comics to cinema does a total disservice to both mediums. They are entirely different methods of storytelling. Each comes with their own rules, boundaries, limitations, and more. That being said, they do share some qualities.

When someone says comics look cinematic, they likely mean something similar to the amazing work that de Iulis brings to the page. The style is just gorgeous; full of detail, depth, and emotion. As amazing as all that is, it’s not what I’m talking about here. I’ll get to those bits shortly. What I’m talking about is the choices for framing, which are similar to how filmmakers can choose particular shots to really make things move in a story.

Every element of the framing is perfect and does so much work. Not only are there the closeups that allow that emotional showcase mentioned above, but other wider, or even off-center, shots. The opening pages are the best examples. As the characters move through the beach, witnessing the horror that comes upon their hometown, various panels give us shots of shoes or forgotten items. A slow pan through the surroundings builds up the tension as we’re just as lost about what happened as the character we’re following.

Another benefit of this style is just that: we’re following along with the cast. Not flies on the wall observing from far away, but right there in the spaces with them. Allowing readers to just ride along and feel everything these characters feel, even though we’re not in the space and haven’t actually gone through what they have. The color palette reflects this, as there is a natural, realistic, tone in place for many of the elements. Again, allowing the space to feel like something we would know from our own town or places we’ve been before.

All the horror or fantastical elements are where the big vibrant colors come into play, standing out from everything else, as they should. They are things from beyond our world. Therefore, all the pinks and greens and such are just so much bigger on the color scale accordingly. Pitted against them are also the heavy number of shadows and gloomy darkness. It feels so real and accurate to how a gloomy or dark area would be, which heightens everything.

This atmosphere matches the energy exuded by the characters. After barely making it out of the luminal space, these teenagers are now faced with finding their loved ones and reckoning with their guilt of bringing this upon their home. Thompson does a splendid job of pacing within this series. I imagine trying to balance things out into shorter series formats can be tough. Making sure to give enough in each issue without overloading one and leaving another too light. A big enough story idea with great character depth though, that just seems to make it easier.

Each issue is chock full of moments and beats that allow these characters to feel truly real to us, even after only four issues. It would be easy to mistake most of them for horror character stereotypes or archetypes, but there is more. Just like real people, there are hints of personality types that are ‘common’ or ‘stereotypical,’ but there is far more under the surface. Thompson mines it all and centers the story on that so that all the world-building that happens around them is the chocolate syrup and cherry on top of an already stable, delicious sundae.

Writing and the overall art do a lot to create these characters and the world around them, allowing us to deeply feel it all. Emotions are clear as day in the artwork, and the personalities resonate outward. Giving them a wonderful boost that completes the whole puzzle is the lettering. Otsmane-Elhaou goes the extra mile to make sure that characters’ voices are loud and clear within our minds as we read.

Throwing different fonts, styles of bubbles, colors, and more. Taking up space for words in some moments while pulling back to something smaller and low-key in another. Making sure it all dances around the page in the most logical way to help the artwork guide our eyes through the pages. It all allows those voices to form and resonate. I can see the happiness or pain, but I can feel it even more once I can actually ‘hear’ it from the characters.

In four issues we’ve gone on a complete journey. Opening with a full issue to get to know these characters, feel their pains and their loves and joys. Two issues of actually exploring the other world and its highs as well as its lows. Then we’re back into the ‘real’ world and see the consequences of these teens’ choices. All that is left is the conclusion that wraps things up and delivers us whatever this team might have up their sleeves.

I won’t even attempt to guess, I’m just along for the wonderful ride.

The Cull #4 is now available from Image Comics.