Eclipse #1 (re-post)

Eclipse #1

Written by Zack Kaplan

Art by Giovani Timpano

Coloring by Betsy Gonia

Lettered by Troy Peteri

In the not too distant future, a solar event causes the rays of the sun to incinerate the Earth’s surface, killing billions of people. Ten years from that fateful cataclysm, what little remains of humanity hides underground during the day, only being able to walk the surface at night. There are the few, known as Icemen, who can traverse the now desolate and deadly daytime in specially designed astronaut-like suits. One such man is David “Bax” Baxter, a repairman who unwittingly stumbles upon a person who had been intentionally left behind to die in the sun, which leads the police to ask him for help in catching the murderer, whom they think is only beginning their reign of terror.

“Eclipse” has a premise that I could certainly see be played out on a movie screen. A suspense thriller set in an alternate post-apocalyptic world. Though in this case, the apocalypse happens every time the sun comes out. It reminds me of that scene in The Chronicles of Riddick where Riddick is stuck on a planet where the sunrise flash-fries everything it touches, only extended to the entire story. There’s plenty of story potential to be mined for here with such a premise. I imagine a joke where there’d a nest of vampires somewhere having themselves a nice chuckle at the irony of humans lethally broiling in the sun they hid behind for so many years.

The first issue introduces this world in an unforgiving and grisly tone, as one would probably expect from such an event, driving what might be hundreds or thousands of people underground. Artist Giovani Timpano provides a deservedly gritty look and feel to the issue given the circumstances. The detail taken into how the outside world would be affected by such a devastating solar event is brought to chilling life as one sees sunrise on an empty Times Square. We also get a brief but telling look into the underground city that houses the rest of humanity, or at least in the New York area. The sight of a lone man in what is essentially an astronaut suit makes it all the more eerie.

I understand Kaplan’s decision to not reveal the cause of the sun turning the Earth’s surface into an easy bake oven. It makes it that much more terrifying to think that somehow nature or the cosmos or, dare I say, God himself decided to take the magnifying glass to the ants perhaps out of sadistic boredom. Or perhaps it just was dumb random chance that Sun in its own fashion decided “Fuck humanity” and pissed fire all over the planet’s surface. It really is scarier not knowing, which is a relatable quality.

While the story is very much post-apocalyptic, it isn’t to say humanity hasn’t adjusted well enough to such a catastrophe. There’s several pages dedicated to showing how humankind has adapted thanks to a business called Solarity (get the groans out of the way now…thank you). There’s still a need for security/police forces although they tend to focus mainly on keeping people off the streets during the day rather than stuff like muggings for food. Some folks, especially Cielo aka Rose Brandt, daughter of Solarity Inc. CEO and Mayor Nick Brandt, like to hold “Day parties” in secret hideaways on the surface in artificially shaded areas. I look forward to seeing how Kaplan unravels the world further after the ending of this issue. It’s a fascinating setting and premise to be certain.

Speaking of which, I do have a couple of minor nitpicks to confess. At the very end, there is a reveal that sets to turn everything on its head and raises more questions on top of just about every other question one could have. But the issue seems uninterested in answering them for now and I can respect the choice made here. However, it lends to the pace of the issue feeling very brisk. The pace is so quick and snappy that establishing characteristics are told through dialogue that others share with Bax. We see he likes to live with dogs and listen to old football games and doesn’t like to be referred to as a hero. I’m all for “Show don’t tell” but maybe show us a little bit more, is all I’m saying. It may be all we need for the moment, but I hope these blanks get filled in next issue.  

While the revelation at the end is an intriguing cliffhanger, I would have probably held off on revealing such a big secret until about another issue or so. It seems the investigative/murder mystery aspect of the issue feels a bit lacking, especially with such a bombshell of a reveal at the end. I suppose it could just be the thing that sets the plot along, and that’s alright, but it only adds to the pacing issues I addressed previously.

I’m getting a distinct “Escape From L.A.” vibe from the ending where it’s Bax and Cielo on the run. Bax being brought in by the “government” to rescue the “president’s daughter.” That being said, it isn’t handled badly, really. There’s a pretty inventive scene where someone manages to drive a truck with a mirror that shines sunlight into a covered alley, incinerating a group of bodyguards. There’s also a horrifying sight of Cielo being shielded from the rays by the cooking bodies of her would-be protectors.

Eclipse #1 sets up a fascinating world, despite housing a solid, but stock action plot. Thankfully, said world is just interesting enough for me to want to continue reading to see what else happens and how else the sun frying the Earth has affected people.