I think my favorite part about this premiering issue, is the fact that I actually WANT to read the next installment. I WANT to know where this is going. The mystery Holt cultivates through his script has gripped me. Zeigler creates the perfect backdrop for the story. I instantly felt at home in the macabre environment. The dark panels develop an eerie atmosphere that suits the story precisely. Whenever I think of 19th Century magicians, I imagine this gothic ambiance. I can't help but be reminded of one of my favorite French graphic novels "Miss Don't Touch Me" when I look at Zeigler's work. The backdrop mirrors that French style of illustration which exaggerates differences in human form. As a result, each of the characters drawn are distinctly unique in appearance. Read Full Review
The issue also features a backup story, Primordial, by Holt and artist Isaac Goodhart. Primordial is a good old fashioned pulpy investigator story, but Holt gives it life with some strong dialogue. Goodhart's art is impressive throughout and I'm certainly never going to complain about a backup story in a comic if it is this strong. Read Full Review
Overall, I lovedAfter Houdiniand place it high on my list of must-reads. Jeremy Holt is a talented writer and his work never fails to transport you to another time. This one in particular is an entertaining, attention-grabbing journey that will have you holding your breath and turning the pages for more. Read Full Review
The star of the show is Ziegler's bold, dynamic art. It's a black and white book that feels every bit as complete as a fully colored one, and the stark contrasts between heavy darks and planes of light brings the world of After Houdini to vibrant, monochromatic life.All in all, it's a solid premise, even if the debut issue does suffer from a slight case of narrative overcrowding.There's a lot of comic for a single issue, and the pieces of the puzzle don't immediately fit together snugly, but we're willing to reserve judgment to see how it all plays out. Read Full Review
As an added bonus, his pulpy back-up story Primordial offers more mystery and intrigue, which makes this first issue of After Houdini an incentive laden read. Illustrated by Isaac Goodhart, it also looks to be headed in interesting direction that makes picking up After Houdini #2 a worthy consideration. It's currently available for purchase. Read Full Review
The five part series has just started and the first issue is a hell of a fun set up so far. We'll see what type of magic the next four issues hold, but this is a great start. Read Full Review
There is also a noir detective backup story exploring a Dupin-like private eye who is due to come into conflict with a sort of mutant-like criminal. Goodheart and Zeilstra's art feels a little more polished than Zeigler's in terms of its style and use gray tones with the black and white colors. Given the story is about a detective who has all the answers, however, the edgier approach would have been less effective at conveying the polish of this story's protagonist. In spite of the polish to the artwork, however, Holt definitely gets a little darker in terms of his story's direction with the introduction of his serial killer. Overall, this comic provides fans of detective and mystery stories with two solid stories that contain solid pacing and will open enough questions to leave readers interested in seeing what will follow in Issue #2. Read Full Review
I know this book took several years to bring to print. In the afterward, author Holt shares some of the struggles to bring the work to market. It never fails that some of the greatest work we do is often the most difficult to share with the world. I'm glad that everyone involved stuck with it, because After Houdini is a story that truly is worth the wait. Read Full Review
"After Houdini" #1 delivers daring escapes, masterful disguises, and skillful showmanship. Capitalizing on everything we love about the art of illusion, and rewriting the course of history before our very eyes; this book hits all the notes one might expect from the story of the world's greatest magician. Read Full Review
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