One Plus One has a concept that's hard to beat, and a creative team of newcomers with talent that should take them far. It's a shame that while the latter is on display in this first issue, they seem to be doing their best to hide the former. Which is to say, this issue is definitely intriguing, but it could have used a little clarity in points and it doesn't really tell the new reader anything about the lead character or the concept of the book, instead telling a strangely laid-back Twilight Zone style tale with an anticlimactic ending. The book looks great, and there's no denying that the story is interesting, but it keeps the reader at arm's length, and I think that's a mistake.
This first issue shares two narrators, which is not a bad idea, giving the reader more than one voice to relate to. Unfortunately, there is no change in lettering or caption color to indicate a change in narrator, and on first read-through, this made for more than a little confusion on my part. It also has a pace that can be best described as lackadaisical, clearly in no hurry to let the reader in on what the lead character is up to or where the story is going. Those who haven't read the Previews will likely have no idea what this series is about, which is putting a lot of faith in the charm of the book to rope them in with little information.
Fortunately, the book has a lot of charm. Shaffer's narrative captions, whether they belong to Leonard or David (and as I said, it's hard to tell which) are full of character and a distinctive voice, and they give the book it's atmosphere, which pulls the reader right into this world of the streets at night, where most of us never go. Despite that oddness, though, Shaffer grounds the book in a believable and realistic world, even mundane in some aspects, so that the more supernatural aspects stand out more and seem stranger.
Krall's work is also quite involving, with an approach that reminds me of Jason Lutes in some respects. Though the linework and style is very clear and clean, there's a sloppiness and griminess to his characters that belies the clean approach and draws the reader into the story. His depiction of the horrible events that Leonard is seeing is creepy, more effective for being subtle changes, and his storytelling has the same subtlety and ability with small moments and changes of expression or position.
One Plus One opens on a slightly too mysterious note, obfuscating where it should probably be giving readers a clearer entry point into the story. However, the talent on display, and the tone of the book, is engaging enough to make me want to know more, which might have been made easier given how little we're told in this initial issue.
