The Moon is Following Us #1: Cigarettes and Champions
Creative Team
writer: DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON
artists: RILEY ROSSMO & DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON
colorist: MIKE SPICER
letterer: SHAWN LEE
publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Reviewed by Seth Adrian Romo
The Moon is Following Us #1 is a sci-fi family drama that beautifully weaves fantastical storytelling with stunning visuals.
From the first page, readers are thrown into a tense discourse between Sam and Duncan as they strategize their mission to save their daughter, Penny. With the aid of anthropomorphic animals armed to the teeth with impressive firepower, bullets and blood soon fill the page.
While a comic series that begins with a smoking frog accessorized with an eyepatch, a golden crown, and a sniper rifle may not paint a complete picture of this series premiere; it’s the combination of unexpected story elements, creative illustrations and vibrant colors that breathe energy into this tale.
Written by Daniel Warren Johnson, Sam and Duncan’s relationship is instantly familiar as the couple bicker over whose plan is executed. This imperfection and vulnerability in their relationship is endearing and readers are likely to connect quickly to the two. Like oil and water, there are obvious differences such as Sam being the capable fighter to Duncan focusing on strategy, but this creates a chaos when the plan goes awry that pays off their personalities clashing.
From a narrative perspective, Johnson has crafted a tight, well-paced story that will keep readers engaged throughout. There is a lot to discover and readers shouldn’t expect much exposition, but this isn’t inherently bad as the core of this story revolves around parents and their motivation to save their child.
While this is not exactly a new plot, the world in which Sam and Duncan have to traverse is incredibly interesting. This is largely thanks to Riley Rossmo’s illustrations and colors by Mike Spencer for majority of the issue, as castles and giant bats appear between panels of rockets being fired and creatures with gnashing teeth.
Without giving too much away, there is a shift in perspectives and this change allows Johnson to showcase his artistic skills. It’s a clever tool in the story design and while Johnson and Rossmo have two distinct art styles, some of the similarities, like their shared use of rough line-work. This allows for such a fluid transition that readers may not even notice the change.
By the end of the issue, readers will likely be eager to know more about how Sam and Duncan plan to take care of their family, and it’s this need to know what happens next that places this series premiere as one of the best of 2024.
Final Verdict
The Moon is Following Us pulls tight on readers’ heartstrings and doesn’t let go, delivering an epic, emotional journey set in an imaginative world.
| Criteria | Score |
|---|---|
| Writing | 9.3 |
| Story/Plot | 8.5 |
| Art/Line Work | 9.5 |
| Colors | 9.5 |
| Final Score | 9.2/10 |