ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Vanish’, Issue #1

Vanish #1 is written by Donny Cates, penciled by Ryan Stegman, inked by JP Mayer, colored by Sonia Oback, and lettered by John J. Hill. It’s published by Image Comics under Cates and Stegman’s KLC Press imprint. When he was 14, Oliver Harrison was taken to a magic school and told he was destined to save the world from the malevolent Baron Vanish. And he did, but the experience has left him mentally scarred and heavily self-medicating. When a new superhero team called the Prestige arrives, Oliver learns that they have a connection to Vanish’s followers, the Hollow. And so he delves back into a world of magic and mayhem.

Cates and Stegman took the comic world by storm during their Venom run, which elevated the Lethal Protector to new heights. That same creative energy is present in Vanish, only cranked up to 11 now that the two are in the world of creator-owned comics. Stegman summed up the series as “Harry Potter meets Inglorious Basterds” during last year’s Emerald City Comic-Con, and it’s an apt description. Cates takes a new look at some of the tropes people have taken for granted when it comes to fantasy and young adult stories.

The things that a fantasy hero like Bilbo Baggins goes through would result in immense PTSD, and it turns out that a magic school might not be the haven of escapism you’ve read about in books. And just because the ultimate villain falls, it doesn’t mean that his ideology or his followers magically disappear. Cates took a similar approach to the idea of the comic book event with Crossover, and this book only continues to prove how immensely creative of a writer he is.

Stegman brings this world to life, packing every page with insanely creative imagery. One of the Prestige’s members, Battle Rocket, is essentially an anime-inspired version of Robin – complete with massive rocket-powered boots and gloves. Baron Vanish is an appropriately frightening figure with armor that unfurls to reveal the legs of a spider. But the most impressive visual comes from the first appearance of Everkeep, the land where Oliver learned to hone his magical talents. Stegman lays out the majesty of Everkeep in a two-page spread, depicting a shining futuristic city that just happens to have dragons flying through the sky. Its pristine appearance soon gives way to horror and bloodshed as Vanish attacks and lays waste to his enemies.

And that bloodshed hits home thanks to the work of Mayer and Oback. Both inker and colorist make heavy use of shadows, shrouding characters in darkness and hearkening back to the original Image titles. I half expected Oliver to run into Spawn or Witchblade at times. Other prominent colors include red, especially as blood and guts literally fly across the panels, and green, which corresponds to Oliver’s magic. Hill’s lettering takes a similar black and white approach, shifting to a darker green when Oliver utilizes his spells. And he gets as creative as Cates with his sound effects; words like “BLAM” and “BOOM” take up whole pages, and within those words are corresponding actions.

Vanish #1 delivers a bold and brutal approach to the realm of fantasy storytelling as Donny Cates & Ryan Stegman reunite for a creator-owned title that feels metal in every sense of the word. If you’re looking for a new fantasy comic or just love fantasy in general, I highly suggest picking this title up. I look forward to future issues, as well as future titles under KLC Press’ guidance.

Vanish #1 will be available wherever comics are sold on September 21, 2022.