The Color of Money meets Tales From the Crypt in an unusual and quietly unsettling story. Shaffer and Krall tell an oddly mysterious story that at one time seems grounded and thoroughly human, and at others, is almost ethereal, but in a sooty, unnatural way. I honestly have no idea what One Plus One is all about, but the creators have hooked me with a story that develops a reader's fascination through its disturbing tone.
Eddie promises his girlfriend that he's going to do the right thing and take care of her and their baby, but first, he has to cobble together a bankroll. To do that, he needs only two things: his existing skill at poker and the tutelage of David, his mysterious new benefactor. Meanwhile, David pays a visit to his new drinking buddy, Leonard, the unfortunate, lonely fellow who can see people's dark futures on their faces.
Krall's art establishes a depressed tone right away. There's a fatigue and desperation in the characters' eyes that puts the reader on edge, just a little. those eyes are the greatest strength in Krall's art, that overall seems like an interesting cross between the styles of Paul (100%) Pope and Mike (X-Statix) Allred. His grey tones reinforce the atmosphere further, adding a little more tension to the book.
There's something else about the visuals that struck me in this issue, and it may point to part of the mystery of the plot. All three of the main players -- Eddie, David and Leonard -- look alike. It's more than just the fact that they're white males. What caught my eye was their hairlines. It's almost as though all three are the same man, but at different ages. It's a crazy theory, and I doubt it'll prove to be correct. But these three seemingly random men must have something in common, and there's already an aura of weirdness pervading the book.
Shaffer immediately draws the reader back into that odd world with a touching scene between Eddie and his girlfriend. She's clearly grasping onto him as though he were a life-preserver, and he tells her exactly what she wants to hear. But is he being sincere? Of course, that situation is paralleled when David tells Eddie exactly what he wants to hear, and Eddie, for some reason, never questions his motives. These elements are all a part of a twisted, character-driven story that is designed to just feel wrong.
