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This was not your standard zombie story. No zombie apocalypse. No collapse of society with a scrappy band of survivors trying to make their way in a hellish world gone wrong.

Instead, writer Nick Tapalansky has created a noirish murder mystery that just happens to involve what may very well be zombies. The narrative is enriched by Alex Eckman-Lawn’s visuals that have a rough and moody feel, loose around the edges, and perfectly matched to the story being told. I’m guessing the art won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s directly in my wheelhouse and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This issue sets the stage as a series of gruesome murders plague the city of Park Falls. Who, or what, is behind them? The players are introduced and the mystery begins to unfold. If you like mysteries or zombies, check it out.

From www.secretidentitypodcast.com:

What Nick Taplanski and Alex Eckman-Lawn have created with “Awakening” is a unique take on the zombie genre that has a distinct noir flavor. The story is set in the small town of Park Falls, and follows former detective Derrick Peters. As the first issue opens, Peters is doing some private investigation work for a woman whose husband has gone missing. The details of the man’s disappearance are not adding up, and Peters eventually sees similarities between his case and some other disappearances that have occurred recently. A shady pharmaceutical company, corpses with bite marks on them, and shadowy government intervention all point to something much more sinister than just some random disappearances.

Taplanski opens this series with a well-paced first issue that sets the table nicely for the rest of the story. In addition to the main mystery of what’s happening to people in town, each of the core characters has unanswered questions of their own, like why Peters is no longer on the force, or just what made the ‘town crazy’ lose it in the first place. Alex Eckman-Lawn’s artwork is dark and surreal, and it reminded me of some of Ashley Wood’s work, particularly the stuff he did on the “Metal Gear Solid” books. His style fits the story well.

Issue #1 of “Awakening” does an excellent job of sucking you in and raising a lot of questions about what’s to come in the rest of the series. Whether you’re a horror fan or you just love a good mystery, there’s a lot to sink your teeth into with this one.