Review: SHIPWRECK #1

SHIPWRECK No. 1 (OF 6)
AFTERSHOCK COMICS – @AfterShockComix

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Warren Ellis
PENCILS: Phil Hester
INKS: Eric Gapstur
COLORS: Mark Englert
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
COVER: Phil Hester with Mark Englert
VARIANT COVERS: John McCrea; Phil Hester with Mark Englert; Declan Shalvey with Jordie Bellaire; Elizabeth Torque
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (October 2016)

For mature readers

Shipwreck created by Warren Ellis

Chapter 1: “Argur”

Shipwreck is a new comic book series created by Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan, Injection).  Published by AfterShock, this six issue miniseries is written by Ellis; drawn by Phil Hester (pencils) and Eric Gapstur (inks); colored by Mark Englert; and lettered by Marshall Dillon.  Shipwreck focuses on the sole survivor of a very unusual and very secret shipwreck.

Shipwreck #1 (“Augur”) introduces Dr. Jonathan Shipwright, who might be dead or dreaming or on a mission.  He awakens on a rocky plain and makes his way to a decrepit diner where he meets an “Inspector.”  The man has lots to say, including that Shipwright's shipwreck involved a boat voyaging from another planet... wrecked by a saboteur... whom Shipwright must find.

Over the last few years of reading several #1 issues of comic books written by Warren Ellis, I have often found myself intrigued and sometimes bored.  I was intrigued by Injection (Image Comics), which paid off in a fantastic comic book.  I thought the first issue of Ellis' recent Moon Knight comic book for Marvel was dull, but that turned out to be a gem of a six-issue miniseries.

You know, in the past, I have earned ire for suggesting that many comics, including some written by Warren Ellis, would not be published if they were the creation of little-known or previously unpublished comic book creators.  The truth of the matter is that over the last few decades some comic book writers have built enough of a following or written enough popular comic books that practically any vanity project they propose finds a publisher among the independents, such as Image Comics and, now, apparently AfterShock Comics.

I don't know what the fuck is going on with Shipwreck.  It might turn out to be a fantastic read in collected form, but as a first issue, it's...  I don't know what to call it because there isn't enough to declare it good or bad.  It simply is, meaning it's there for you to read.  I can't even say I'm intrigued.  Oh, well.  Whatever.  Nevermind.  Maybe, it's just me.

Okay, I get.  That's how things work.  I'm sure AfterShock was quite excited to get something from Warren Ellis.  They were certainly more excited than Guy Ritchie was.  Even the art for Shipwreck leaves a lot to desire, although the cover is quite nice.

You know, I'm trudging through Joe Hill's recent novel, The Fireman.  It is clearly the work of a famous author's son, meaning that the book's publisher, William Morrow, would not publish this book if it had been written by an unpublished author, especially if he or she were not seeded from a famous author's balls.  Yeah, Joe Hill is Joesph Hillstrom King, one of Stephen King's progeny.

I am certain that neither AfterShock nor any other major independent publisher would publish Shipwreck if it were produced by an African-American author or by a Latino not named Los Bros.  Hell, I don't think the indies were knocking themselves out to publish original or creator-owned works by the late Dwayne McDuffie.  But this...

Oh, well... on to the next creation of White privilege.  I don't know what I expected from Shipwreck #1, but yeah, I am surprised that this is the reaction I got from it.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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