Comics Review: "Dexter" #1 (Marvel)

- by Ninja Ross, 5 July 2013

Dexter! America’s favourite serial killer! Many of you know that "Dexter" is an award winning TV show based on award winning books about a serial killer who only targets the bad guys. He wraps them up in cling film and stabs them real good! Stabby Stabby!

I’m a pretty big fan of Dexter. The TV show is fantastic and the books are just as good. And the best thing about the books is they’re a separate continuity, which means there’s no repetition. The first series is pretty much exactly the same as the first book, though. Besides a drastic change to the ending.

The comic book, written by Jeff Lindsey with art by Dalibor Talajic, takes place in the continuity of the novels. So there’s no repetition from the show here, either.

The story follows Dexter as his wife, Rita, drags him off to his school reunion. Naturally, school was not a fun experience for a serial killer getting used to pretending to be human so he’s a little reluctant.

Upon arriving, he comes across his former bully; Steve Gonzalez. The bully that he wrapped up in cling film and nearly stabbed before being interrupted by the janitor. Thankfully, Gonzalez used that as a life lesson and became a better person, opening charities and doing general nice guy business.

Steve Gonzalez

All’s well that ends well, let’s go home. Right? Except nothing’s quite as it seems and that’s enough to interest Dexter’s Dark Passenger.

I’m gonna fill you in little on the book’s continuity here: The Dark Passenger isn’t just a cute  name Dexter gives to his killing urges, it’s a monster created by intense violent trauma. There are others with similar passengers, all with the urge to kill. The books have a lot of paranormal themes along these lines.

Dexter himself is a lot less caring when it comes to his fellow man, than he is in the show. While Showtime’s Dexter is pretty unfeeling at times, he’s still kinda soft. Book Dexter cares only for his family and even then, not much. This Dexter is more like an animal than a human in the sense that he’s mostly just protecting what’s his.

With that in mind, you know what sort of story this will be. It’ll have some supernatural undertones mixed in with dark humour and moider.

It’s all pretty exciting! And I was especially excited when it was announced! However, I’m... Not so excited now.

Jeff Lindsey is a novel writer and a pretty darn good one, even if the latest Dexter books haven’t been up to scratch. But as a comic book writer? He’s a little slow to get started. I feel as if the first issue went on forever and did nothing. It’s all just back-story and setting up the scene Hopefully the next four issues of this five issue series will be a little more... Interesting.

Dexter doesn’t come off as an interesting character in issue one. He has no real personality yet. Knowing the character like I do, it’s easy to put that personality in there myself but this is certainly not a good introduction to the character.

Dexter Dances

That’s not to say it’s a bad first issue. I’ve read bad first issues and this is not one of them. It’s interesting enough to make me pick up the next issue, at least.

The biggest negative, however, is the art. Talajic is on ok artist... I guess. But for something like Dexter you’d think they’d break out the big guns! Get some high class, well known artist on this thing! But as it is, it’s just kinda... Average.

In fact the book is average in every sense. Pick it up if you’re a Dexter fan simply because it’s Dexter but if you’re new to it, stay away. Read the novels or watch the show.


Have you read "Dexter" issue 1? Have something to share about it? Let us know below!

Tagged: comics, Reviews.

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