Welcome to an all new edition of Parlay Points, the complementary comic book blog to the ODPH Podcast. On this edition, we’re taking a look at Eden from Comixology Originals via Darkling Entertainment. Eden’s creative team is comprised of Matthew Arnold (of NBC’s “Siberia” & “Emerald City” fame), Riccardo Burchielli, Luca Salce, Ed Dukeshire & Will Dennis. This book will be released first on Comixology & later this year, Eden will be in print form via Dark Horse Comics on July 12th. Let’s not waste anymore time and jump right into this story, shall we?
Eden - On sale on Comixology March 29th, Print - July 12th via Dark Horse Comics
Creative: Matthew Arnold, Riccardo Burchielli, Luca Salce, Ed Dukeshire & Will Dennis
Photo Credit: Comixology Origials via Darkling Entertainment
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The story is set around a Senator names Anna Croft & her husband, Ben who is a sheriff. The book opens with them and a few other escaping from cryogenic pods which have been holding them for an undisclosed amount of time. From the mad break, readers are taken back to where everything started. The Crofts are a “perfect” family with a young son, Jacob. With the Crofts on the campaign trail & Anna answering a reporters question concerning her anti-stance about cryogenic freezing of prison inmates. However, something has happened that drastically alters everything. The fallout becomes Anna & Ben are now frozen as prisoners.
Readers now see that when Anna & company leave their jail, that the world they knew is no more. They are thousands of years in the future where the world appears to have gone back into the prehistoric age. The story now shifts into surviving in a world that has no feel of normalcy. Can Anna lead this world back to some sense of what they know or is this new world too far gone even for them? Factor in other “inmates”, each with their own agendas, an ever changing environment, along with multiple twists to the story & you have a very impressive read.
Arnold really crafted an excellent story here. From where we start with Anna & Ben to the ultimate end, Arnold keeps readers guessing. One of the biggest factors is the supporting cast to the Crofts on “Eden.” There are enough unique personalities with their own stories going on that you won’t see what’s coming until the panel drops on the page. The pacing keeps the mysteries hidden very well also. The book is definitely something you’re not expecting. It’s got multiple turns in the story that you’ll need to re-read just to make sure it happened.
Burchielli makes this new “Garden Of Eden” come to life very easy. The characters involved all stand out with the mix of this new landscape they live on. Even the quick backstories of a few of them will catch readers attention. There’s quite a few moments with Ben that readers will sense and feel the tension of the moments he’s in based off the visuals. The last bit I will say is when the final act starts kicking into gear, Readers better be ready for some surprises that they won’t see coming.
Overall, Eden is a strong read that will take moments with the “perfect” family and take them into uncharted waters with a whole new world while questioning everything that they’ve known. I don’t want to spoil too much but rest assured, you won’t see the ending coming. It’s so well crafted, the only way to describe it is: Do they evolve or regress? you’ll have to read the issue and find out!