• Dark Spaces Good Deeds #1 Cover
    Dark Spaces: Good Deeds #1
    Writer:
    Che Grayson
    Artist:
    Kelsey Ramsay
    Letterer:
    Shawn Lee
    Cover Artist:
    Kelsey Ramsay
    Publisher:
    IDW
    Price:
    $3.99
    Release Date:
    2023-05-17
    Colorist:
    Ronda Pattison

After the release of Dark Spaces: Wildfire, the anthology continues with a new story and team through IDW Publishing. Written by Che Grayson, drawn by Kelsey Ramsay, colored by Ronda Pattison, and lettered by Shawn Lee, Dark Spaces: Good Deeds #1 takes the tale in a different direction from its predecessor. There's an element of intrigue and interesting protagonists here, but it isn't quite the attention-grabber that fans might have hoped for.

The issue introduces three main characters: Jean McKnight, Rebecca, and Cheyenne Rite. Jean is a journalist trying to rebuild her career, who is sent down to St. Augustine, Florida, to cover its 450th anniversary. Rebecca and her daughter, Cheyenne, have also recently arrived in town to take over the diner. While St. Augustine presents itself as a homely small town, it isn't quite what Jean, Rebecca, or Cheyenne were expecting.

Nightmare in Dark Spaces Good Deeds #1

From the very beginning, Grayson instills intrigue about how Jean, Rebecca, and Cheyenne will be connected in Dark Spaces: Good Deeds #1. It's apparent that they all have their own demons to confront (or run away from), and their destinies will somehow intersect in this tale. At the same time, the writer establishes that St. Augustine isn't as wonderful as everyone says it is. Grayson juxtaposes what people tell Jean about the town with Cheyenne's actual experiences, which aren't nearly as wholesome.

With all the narrative's focus on the town's backstory and the three main characters, this issue isn't particularly exciting. While it might be a similar approach to how many horror novelists build up the tension and pull the strings of anxiety, this issue doesn't have the necessary hook that has the reader saying, "And then?" Comparing this to Dark Spaces: Wildfire, it struggles to captivate the audience. That said, there is a deeper sense that this story might work better in a collected format, as Grayson is clearly developing a complicated narrative.

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Jean waking up in Dark Spaces Good Deeds #1

Ramsay utilizes an unrefined, jagged style that adds an edge to the characters and locations. Dark Spaces: Good Deeds is about messy people and a town that isn't as perfect as it seems, and the book's design complements this beautifully. Pattison's colors aren't afraid to get wild and out of sorts, either. They shift from visceral to moody to comforting, emphasizing the varying emotions that the characters experience. Lee, however, brings calm and serenity with the lettering, keeping the story and dialogue easy to follow for the reader without trying to get too inventive or outrageous.

Dark Spaces: Good Deeds #1 features well-constructed characterization and fantastic artwork. However, it suffers from being too slow in its pacing. The next issue will be crucially important to the series, as it needs to speed up the plot and introduce higher stakes.