It’s another Scott Snyder post-apocalypse joint, with a twist: he’s co-writing with his son, Jack Snyder. How does the father-son duo’s By a Thread #1 stand up to the high standards set by Daddy? And was that a really weird way of phrasing it? Let’s find out!
We reviewed the book on the Stack podcast. But in the interest of highlighting more about the title, here’s a summary of the conversation with our thoughts. And if you prefer the longer audio version, that’s below as well!
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By A Thread #1 Review:
In the premiere issue of the new ComiXology Original, we’re introduced to a world consumed by darkness. Only, not like Scott Snyder’s Nocterra. Here the darkness is a sea covering the whole world, and the only way of surviving is living on diamond spires protruding out of the “water.”
Host Alex Zalben noted that a lot of the beats of the stories are things we’ve seen before: kids who believe there might be a fabled promised land out on the sea; an evil villain coming after them and driving them out of their safe haven; a MacGuffin that might change the world. But he added, “Even if it felt like a million different things that I’ve read before, they mashed it up in a really nice way where it felt fresh and fun.”
Pete LePage agreed, saying that this introduces a “cool, post-apocalyptic” world with a great reveal towards the end. “It’s [the] kind of first issue that gets you excited for this world, and what’s to come.” He also thought it was “adorable” that Scott Snyder is writing the book with his son, adding, “that’s got to be a dream come true.”
Wrapping up, Zalben compared the issue’s art style to a classic Saturday morning cartoon, and narrative drive to more modern animated series like Avatar: The Last Airbender. “I really enjoyed it,” Zalben said. “I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes.”
By A Thread #1 Official Synopsis:
Growing up on Needle Three, Jo barely remembers a time before the darkness enveloped the world. But when our hero’s community comes under attack by the despotic Charon and his forces, Jo and his friends must decide whether to leave everything behind in search of something better.
