Jeff Lemire hasn’t exactly been unproductive these past few years. He’s worked on multiple series with other artists. He’s drawn some mini-series of his own. And generally, it seems like a new Lemire comic comes out every other week. Yet BOOM! Studios still put a fair amount of hype behind Minor Arcana #1. That’s because it’s Lemire’s first self-drawn, self-written ongoing series since Sweet Tooth wrapped up in 2013. So does it meet that hype?
Well… Sort of. First of all, Lemire is undeniably great, and his talent for capturing the gritty reality of small towns is unmatched. It’s a well he’s returned to time and again since his early, Essex County days. That continues here with the focus on Theresa, a former alcoholic and full-time grump who returns home to help out her ailing mother. Making matters worse, her mom is the town’s psychic, something Theresa hates.
A large part of the barrier to getting into this oversized first issue is Theresa is furious, and she continues to be furious throughout. Lemire draws her with ratty black hair, bags under her eyes, and a permanent scowl. There’s a glimmer of kindness and understanding there, one that will surely flower more as the series continues — you have to give your characters somewhere to go, of course. But where Sweet Tooth had the earnest Gus to balance out the curmudgeonly Jepperd, this book is Jepperds all the way down.
The other problem here is that this reads like the first 40-ish pages of a graphic novel, versus a singular issue. Spoilers past this point, but you’re probably not surprised to learn there’s more to this whole “psychic” thing that Theresa suspects. That’s exciting, and when we get to the magical part of the issue Lemire leans into the visual motif of Tarot Cards in a fascinating way. But we barely get there by the end of 40ish pages.
Contrast that with Lemire’s recent Image Comics miniseries Fishflies, which introduced the concept and multiple characters with efficiency, or Black Hammer at Dark Horse Comics, which jams through the story at a quickened pace. Perhaps knowing there’s no planned ending — or it’s not coming for a good long while — gives Lemire room to breathe here. But as a reader, you don’t want that inciting incident to lead into issue two. You want to get to the good stuff, then play with the characters. The town is well-fleshed out with a supporting cast, and Theresa has the potential to be an intriguing lead. I just don’t know what we’re doing here yet in this book.
Will I be picking up issue two anyway? Absolutely. Every Lemire book is a must-read, and he clearly has confidence in this concept. But what the concept of the book is, isn’t clear by the end of issue one. I’m predicting greatness on this one. But right now, what the cards are showing is murky, at best.
Minor Arcana #1 Rating:
Minor Arcana #1 Official Synopsis:
Theresa, the daughter of a small-town “psychic” fraud, returns home to care for her ailing mother, however begrudgingly.
But when Theresa discovers that there may be more to the magic than she originally believed, she’ll find herself caught up in a town that desperately needs her help…
One of the most renowned creators in comics, New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer and artist Jeff Lemire (Descender, Black Hammer) arrives at BOOM! Studios with an extra-length opening chapter of a must-read ongoing series inspired by, and intricately linked to, the tarot and perfect for fans of his creator-owned work as well as Helen of Wyndhorn and Locke & Key.