By Nick Couture — Black Stars Above #1 sees writer Lonnie Nadler striking out on his own after frequent collaborations with Zac Thompson. Nadler — who is joined here by a team of Jenna Cha, Brad Simpson, and Hassan Ostmane-Elhaou — has created something that feels wholly “Nadler.” It’s a small personal story with striking art. Canadian cosmic horror has never looked so good.

Black Stars Above #1 gives us a peek into the life of Eulalie Dubois, and young woman living with her parents in a cabin in Canada. As you might expect, it’s not the greatest life. Eulalie feels disillusioned. She wants to travel, write, and be free in the world. Nadler and team do a really good job making her living situation feel suffocating and isolating and ultimately relatable. Going through young adulthood often feels suffocating. Black Stars Above gives a literal visual expression of that feeling: a cabin alone in the woods. Eulalie eventually learns some hard truths about her future and comes in possession of a mysterious package from a strange man. This is where her journey begins. It’s a great narrative hook that gives us a nice carrot on a stick.

When Eulalie ventures out into the woods in a later scene, it’s truly a sight to behold. The sky is vast, and Eulalie is so small on the page. As she ventures into the trees, the page is crowded. We share Eulalie’s confused dread. It’s evident that much thought went into every inch of this book, and there’s a real cohesive vision behind every decision.

Jenna Cha’s art is scratchy, detailed, gestural, moody, and all-in-all pitch-perfect for this story. This book wears its influences on its sleeve. It’s clear she is channeling some Juji Ito in effective ways, yet still retains her unique voice. Cha really captures the look/feel of the time. Everyone looks gaunt, exhausted, and beaten down by the harsh conditions of their world. From the shopkeeper to the weird dude with the hat, no one is having a good time. It all works to evoke a strong sense of place. I hadn’t seen Cha’s work before, but after this, I’m now a big fan. I’m excited to see how her art evolves as the story gets more wild.

Brad Simpson on colors and Hassan Ostame-Elhaou on letters need to be mentioned as well. Simpson really lets the blacks shine on the page, filling in perfectly over Cha’s etching. The way he handles light is also stunning. From the warm oranges coming off a fireplace to Eulalie’s lantern illuminating her in the woods, he nails it. Hassan on letters adds some great texture to the page as well. We get lots of beautiful cursive throughout as Eulalie narrates from her journal.

Overall: Black Stars Above might be the most impressive Vault debut yet, and that’s saying a lot. These creators give us a warm blanket of cosmic horror with an incredibly well-realized main character. I’m excited to follow her into the woods, where the existential dread is guaranteed to escalate. 9.8/10

Black Stars Above #1
Writer: Lonnie Nadler
Artist: Jenna Cha
Colors: Brad Simpson
Letters: Hassan Ostame-Elhaou
Publisher: Vault
Price: $3.99

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Nick Couture is a video producer living in Lansing, Michigan with his wife and daughter. His first love is film but comics have been a constant source of creative fuel for him for many years. He loves drinking coffee and long-distance running.