The Abyss

The dynamic between this issue and the first is an interesting one. Both are slow and thoughtful, but the emphasis shifts somewhat from the art to the writing here while Snejbjerg and Stewart maintain the same high quality of last month’s issue. Because of the lighter, more ambient nature of the first issue, the conclusion to this story has more plot-oriented material; Mignola and Arcudi provide interesting insight into Abe Sapien’s character as he reacts to an unusual situation. As part of a mission to recover Melchiorre’s Burgonet, a medieval combat helmet that apparently has the ability to heal wounds of the wearer, Abe has woken up a Russian zombie that has boarded the ship used in the mission. While everyone reacts with horror and violence, Abe studies it and notices that the zombie isn’t making any threatening actions. He shows thoughtfulness and patience in dealing with the zombie, obviously not the sort to respond with extreme actions immediately. At the same time, we’re show

“Abe Sapien: The Abyssal Plan” #1 is a gorgeous comic. The artistic team of Peter Snejbjerg and Dave Stewart grabbed my attention with stunning pages like the two preview pages. The writing here is fairly simple and elegant in its minimalism, allowing the art to steal the show. Taking place in 1984, “The Abyssal Plan” focuses on Abe Sapien going on a recovery mission of Melchiorre’s Burgonet, a medieval combat helmet that apparently has the ability to heal wounds of the wearer. The Burgonet was possibly lost at sea in the 1940s when the Russians were transporting it, and Abe is needed to recover it from the wreck. It’s a fairly simple story that comes alive in the slow, moody execution. Abe plays the straight man to the personalities around him and has thoughtful reflections during his recovery of the Burgonet. Snejbjerg’s art matches the simplicity of the writing for the most part by sticking to clear, concise pencils. There are no unnecessary lines or overly rendered characters w