Horror Comics: "Spread" Issues I-3, World (Re)building

The story of “Spread” is set in a cold post-apocalyptic wasteland where a hatchet-wielding badass known only as “No” stumbles upon an infant child who is somehow naturally repellant to the alien virus/monster that has destroyed society. 

Readers of “Saga” may notice striking narrative similarities between the two comics (i.e. a story about the survival of an infant child, told from the perspective of the child’s future self), which writer Justin Jordan discusses as an unfortunate coincidence, partially due to the fact that “Spread” was being developed before “Saga” was released.  Jordan wears his influences on his sleeve and describes “Spread” as “‘Wolf and Cub’ meets John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’” although more influences like “Mad Max” are also apparent. 

While almost everything in “Spread” is grounded in many familiar elements, especially “post-apocalypse” which has nearly been done to death in recent years, this comic presents a society that seems like it might possibly be on the verge of re-building, which is something that is rarely touched on in post-apocalyptic stories. 

Over the course of the first three issues we’re introduced to the heroes “No,” the infant “Hope,” and a deranged woman named “Molly” who adopts Hope as her own.  We’re also introduced to the villains: a psychotic priest and his disciples, a blonde-haired lunatic gang leader named Ravello, Fat Jack the cannibal chef, and most importantly the Spread itself, an amorphous and disgusting alien creature that tends to kill people in fairly morbid fashion.  The conflict between the Spread and No helps pace these initial issues, while the author is also able to focus on world-building in between the action. 

Also each issue contains an afterward from the author as well as fan art, which most people probably won’t appreciate, but it does make a few pages of “Spread” feel the tiniest bit like a “zine” or some of the more interactive comics I read growing up in the 90’s.  (I used to love reading and writing for zines, but they seem to be an artistic medium that was completely destroyed by the internet, and then never found any way to exist online). 

So far this is looking like a really fun comic book and now that we know who the major players are I’m excited to see what direction the story will go in.  I think the action, along with the author and artists’ subtle sense of humor are going to make “Spread” a comic to keep an eye out for.