Review - Point of Impact #1

When an object falls and hits the ground, it leaves a point of impact. Evidence of the object’s fall radiate outward in the form of cracks in the pavement for instance. When a person falls and hits the ground, there is more than just cracks left behind. There are damaged relationships and sordid love affairs, as is the case in Point of Impact #1 from Image Comics.

The issue is written by Jay Faerber, with art by Koray Kuranel and letters by Charles Pritchett.

What’s a night of romance in a parked car without a dead woman’s body crashing into it? The body is that of Nicole Rafferty, wife of journalist Mitchell Rafferty. The reason for her fall and death is a mystery and it sets the tone for the entirety of the series. Further complicating matters is secret lover named Boone, a masked thief with a prominent tattoo and a detective who knew Nicole from high school.

This is a captivating first issue for a new property. Faerber has managed to make a relatively simple crime rather intricate; offering an elegant story that will likely feature many twists and turns. A lot of mystery surrounds Nicole and the life she leads, as it’s very clear she’s anything but the woman Mitchell thinks she is.

It’s not just the mystery surrounding Nicole that drives the story. It’s also the way Faerber alternates among the three main storylines, all of which converge on Nicole. Mitchell is married to her and knows her in the present, Boone is engaged in a tryst with her and knows her future and Detective Abby Warren knows her from the past. The three different takes on her will all likely be reconciled, but in the first issue they’re great for setting the tone of what’s the come.

Kuranel’s art is dark and gritty. It’s all black and white and is you could say it’s harshly presented. It adds an element of seediness to the story, suggesting to the reader that Nicole was involved in some very dangerous stuff.

Point of Impact #1 will be an intriguing series to follow and enjoy. Who Nicole is at this point is an enigma and the best thing is that the reader will likely find out alongside the characters in the series. If the first issue is any indication, learning the circumstances behind the life and death of Nicole Rafferty will be something of a thrill.

Point of Impact #1 is in stores now with interiors below.