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The Approach #1
- Writer:
- Jeremy Haun, Jason A. Hurley
- Artist:
- Jesús Hervás, Lea Caballero
- Letterer:
- Ed Dukeshire
- Cover Artist:
- Jeremy Haun, Nick Filardi
- Publisher:
- BOOM! Studios
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-10-12
- Colorist:
- Brett Weldele
Running an airport requires clear communication between the Air Traffic Control, ground staff, and security to mitigate any unpleasantness. Unforeseen conditions and weather patterns can transform even the most well-organized airport into a chaotic and dangerous environment. The Approach #1 from Boom! Studios tells the story of one such airport hit by a blizzard as the staff deals with one calamity after another. Written by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, with artwork from Jesús Hervás and Lea Caballero, colors by Brett Weldele, and letters from Ed Dukeshire, the issue has a lot of surprises in store for everyone.
The Approach #1 finds a small airport and an even smaller crew haplessly entrenched in a raging snowstorm as they prepare for the landing of a passenger plane in this outrageous weather. Airport employees Mac and Abigail do their best to keep the runway clean. Just then, the ATF suddenly notices a pair of landing lights piercing through the hail, and before long, a plane crashes onto the runway. After the staff manages to save one of the pilots from the wreckage, they find it difficult to process the harrowing incident. To make matters worse, they discover that the plane has been missing for 27 years.
The Approach #1 makes Mac the focal character. As he starts his day groggily, taking every waking step with a sigh, the reader immediately picks up on Mac's weariness of his station. But as soon as he puts on his turnout coat, a switch flips inside his brain and brings out his professional self. These are only a few examples of Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley's intelligent writing that leave small cues and nuances in the dialogues to point toward each character's mental state and disposition. The pacing makes the book easy to get into, even as it spends considerable time establishing the plot. As the storm gets more turbulent, the walls of the airport start to cast long shadows over its occupants. Yet it is not until the crash that the true horror is unveiled.
Jesús Hervás and Lea Caballero scatter as much visual information into the panels as possible. As the story progresses, so does the intensity of the snowfall until the exterior scenes become nothing but a claustrophobic wall of white. Matching the spirit, the inking of the interior scenes gets progressively darker, reflecting the morose environment inside the solitary airport. From white snow dancing in the dark backdrop of the night to yellow flames emanating from the crash in the middle of the runway, Brett Weldele's colors adapt to suit the situation. The artwork truly starts to shine once the grizzly horror kicks in.
The smooth scene transitions and effortless plot layout make The Approach #1 impossible to put down. With the fast pace and slowly developing tension, the final fright is easy to gulp down. Still, the reveal is just as gruesome, with the story toying with the reader's expectations while keeping a lid on the mystery. The Approach #1 feels like a blend of Die Hard II and The Thing, making it a unique and compelling start to the series.