Black Plague (Boom!)

    (Boom!, 2006)
™ and © Boom! Studios

The Black Plague is a pleasant reading experience, but it’s questionable whether it passes the bang-per-buck test. Among the seven comics from seven different publishers on the old review desk, The Black Plague is both the thinnest and the most expensive. On the other hand, it has 22 story pages, the same as some of the 32-page comics. Back on the first hand, many pages have little to no dialogue, so the reader can blow through The Black Plague pretty quickly.

Two stories dovetail. A retired hero and villain meet in the park for chess and chat. Meanwhile, a mysterious costumed character makes life tough for the mob. How do these two plotlines coincide? Perhaps not as one might expect.

Bax’ art, colored by Matt Webb, is inviting. It’s a bit cartoony for the story, but that’s somehow rather comforting.

What’s odd is the last-page announcement, which essentially says that the story is to be continued in The Black Plague mini-series. This is #1, not a zero issue. Is this a one-shot — or what?

—Jack Abramowitz
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#1 Variation A (Indicia lists as $3.99, cover A lists as $6.99)

July, 2006
Cover Price: $6.99
2 copies available from $1.75 		Joe CaseyJulia Bax
#1 Variation B

July, 2006
Cover Price: $3.99
3 copies available from $1.75 		Joe CaseyJulia Bax