The Unsound #1
Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Jack T. Cole
Letters by Jom Campbell
Covers by Jack T. Cole, David Lafuente, Michael Dialynas
BOOM! Studios
Release Date: June 7, 2017
Cover Price: $3.99

I’m pretty much game for anything written by Cullen Bunn, therefore it should come as no shock that The Unsound #1 would make its way onto my desk. Always creepy and a little twisted, his horror stories tend to be dependable sources of entertainment and each comic series unique.

This one finds a nurse making her way to her first day at work at a mental institution. But as she makes her way there, we see the world outside is just as dark, twisted, and suffering as anything that could be inside the hospital. That is, until we see what is inside.

Individuals of various ages and levels of sanity wander about, interacting with the new nurse and setting her on edge. It does seem, however, that there is undercurrent of malevolence in this sad place. One that seeks to drain the well being from any who enter. Is it the patients or the staff that create this disparaging atmosphere? Or is it something more primal, more evil that lurks around every corner?

I was impressed immediately by the artwork from Jack T. Cole. It is brighter and more engaging, perhaps even more revealing, than I expected. It definitely conveys the sense of a hospital with its brighter than necessary fluorescent lighting and pastel, reflective walls that seem to reflect even more light. There is a feeling of despair that almost leaps from the page, a combination of the artistry a of words and pictures, perhaps a perfect storm of an assault on the senses and sensibilities of the reader.

I hope you find the time to read this first issue, especially if your are a fan of Bunn’s previous work. But even if you aren’t, it has a great creepy vibe that seems to intensify as the pages turn, leaving you anxiously awaiting the next issue. Just like I am.

Ashli’s first day as a nurse at Saint Cascia Psychiatric Hospital turns into a nightmare as a bloody riot sends her fleeing into the bowels of the hospital. Her descent takes her to a hellish world populated by lunatics and monsters, cloaked in a secret history of black magic and heinous scientific experiments.