Writer: Kelly Thompson / Penciller, Colour Artist: Mattia De Iulis / Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou / Editor: Chris Beacham / Designer: Rian Hughes / Collects: The Cull #1-#5 / TP / Image Comics
Review by Paul Dunne
21st June 2024 (Released: 1st May 2024)
The Pitch: Eisner-winning writer KELLY THOMPSON re-teams with superstar artist MATTIA DE IULIS for their first creator-owned work together - a dark tale of five friends setting off in the middle of the night to shoot a short film on a forbidden rock near their small coastal town the summer before they all go their separate ways. But they're not really there to shoot a film. One of them has lied. And that lie will change EVERYTHING.
What is it these days to be an ageing adult looking at younger generations? Sometimes fascinating, sometimes frightening. Often, it's like looking at a different species. Their clothes, their ideals, their morals, their sexuality... it all feels alien and unknown. Of course, those of us who don't have kids probably feel this most keenly in our pop culture mediums. Although I've been doing this whole comics thing for a while, I'll admit that sometimes even I'm lost at the motivations for characters to act the way they do, or have the outlook they have on life. Of course, I'm probably just getting old. Still, hats off to writers like Kelly Thompson, who can create bridges between worlds with her work and who can help even old farts like me get it. She achieves this in The Cull, in part by going to old standbys of teen drama, giving us familiar, Spielbergian beats but anchoring the outcome on far more horrific movements, whilst still giving us comforting family dynamics. For Thompson, bridging worlds becomes not just the goal, but the point on which the whole story pivots. The thing that we all know in retrospect about our youth is that it is a transformative experience. Thompson takes that notion and makes it part of the action, giving it a physical manifestation. As Will, Kaite, Cleo, Wade, and Lux head through the cave to the new world that awaits them, they become different, become new. This is a familiar aspect for most of us comic readers as the power fantasy that we've seen over and over. But Thompson places a unique, biological imperative on this, as the teens learn that they are connected to the environment they're in, not just moving against it.
And so begins a series of intelligent, beautifully executed turns by Thompson. The rite of passage and call to adventure may seem familiar to us, but the manner in which these moments are played out is something beautifully new. The good thing is that other comics aren't Thompson's inspiration here. It's the characters themselves who unknowingly influence their abilities. But this isn't a superhero narrative, at least it doesn't feel or identify as one until deep into the story. It's body horror. It's explorative sci-fi. Lovecraftian world-building. It's... It's actually difficult to put your finger on exactly what it is. Like the shifting identities we often see today's youth go through, The Cull alters itself as it progresses. Starting with horror potential as a bunch of teens go off to shoot a movie and end up - wait, no, I can't tell you. It's better you discover for yourself. If the characters journey into the unknown, then so must you. But then, what can I tell you, so that you don't go in unarmed?
Well, Thompson and De Iulis use some classical symbolism here, principally the cave. And the new world is distinctly floral, leafy, and speaks to life. But as in all worlds, the kids find themselves judged, with Cleo in particular feeling the pinch of this. Does she deserve it? Perhaps. After all, it's her lie that leads (and misleads) her friends to the mysterious place to begin with. There's good stuff going on here, showing us just how symbiotic friend groups are, and how they can weigh you down. However, Thompson doesn't advocate for cutting those ties and instead shows us a support network in a time of crisis. Most of the problems they face - except the major problem of being on a parallel Earth - are caused by their parents or lack thereof. They fuck you up, your mum and dad. Perhaps sometimes your friends do, too. By the final issue, we're left with no uncertainty about what the lesson is: the price for asking is finding out. One is reminded of Alex Garland's Annihilation, as played out by the cast of a Netflix teen drama. This is not a bad thing, as it shows Thompson and De Iulis' flair for uniting the intellectual and challenging with the commercial.
De Iulis employs a cinematic, reality-based style for his panels. His faces and acting feel photo-realistic, whilst his colours and creatures bring notes of darkly luminous fantasy to the surface. As the story progresses, we get less colour but more intensity, until his lighting becomes more naturalistic. His faces have a living, realistic expression, making you feel the drama. You can see the emotional light in their eyes as they struggle to comprehend what is happening to them, and what may have happened to the people they love. To my eyes, De Iulis creates a kind of androgyny in the faces and body types, yet keeping them all beautiful, giving comic readers a kind of sexuality that they're used to. This concentrates your attention on the things they're going through rather than their gender, which is a nice move. It reminds you that whatever the battle is you're fighting in your head or your heart, it will rage against you the same way, by getting under the skin. Otsmane-Elhou continues to utilise an artistic flair in his lettering which helps nail the cast's metal states nicely. The Cull pleases in all the respects a comic should: intellectually, artistically, and adrenally! It's no surprise that she is being showered with Eisner nominations this year. She and De Iulis have created a piece of work that leaves you wanting a second volume. It's sometimes fascinating, sometimes frightening. Often, it's like looking at a different species. But be careful... often, the price for asking is finding out.
The Cull is available from Gosh! Comics. Buy Image Comics here.