The folks at Boom! Studios offer up another entertaining zombie book, but this time, there's a longer story to tell that boasts a definite Twilight Zone feel. Think of Tag as what the Jennifer Aniston/Vince Vaughn film The Break-Up would be like if envisioned by George Romero. This first issue is all about introducing the characters and the premise, but dwelling solely on setting the stage proves to be a mistake. It's easy to see where the story's headed early on in the issue, and the reader is left waiting for writer Keith Giffen to catch up.
Mitch is not having a good night. His girlfriend Izumi has broken up with him, and in a public place, no less, precluding the chance for him to beg, rant or just walk away. But if that weren't bad enough, some kind of demented vagrant rushes up to him, declares "Tag, you're it!" and takes off. Mitch immediately takes ill, and the doctors who examine him at hospital don't know what to make of his condition. That's because the source of his ailment isn't medical, but apparently supernatural.
Kody Chamberlain's art is appropriately dark, loose and sketchy. It's in keeping with the tense tone and the decaying qualities of the zombie characters. Still, I never felt as though I got a strong sense of what Mitch looked like before being "tagged," and therefore, I feel as though I didn't get to know him as well. I like the limited color palette that's employed here. one muted color tends to dominate each scene, and it reinforces the tragic and supernatural elements that are so important to the story's success.
I love that the interpersonal dynamic that serves as the conduit for this plot is the dissolution of a relationship. It hints a little at the fact that Mitch has few others in his life upon whom he can rely, but Giffen's script doesn't dwell on that fact. The annoyed banter between two people who want to be done with one another but circumstance and plain decency prevent it really rings true despite the impossible premise they're forced to discuss.
The problem with this comic is that the reader pretty much knows what the score is from the fourth page, but Giffen spends the rest of the issue establishing the premise for the benefit of the characters, not the audience. The premise behind Tag is rather simple, but Giffen is forced to go through almost a full issue of exposition before he can proceed. Yes, the reader jumps ahead easily, but obviously, the characters can't accept such an impossible scenario quite so readily. It's necessary evil demanded by the story, but I remain interested and curious as to where Giffen is headed next. 6/10
