Narco #1 is a Slow But Interesting Start to Murder Mystery (Review)

I do love a good murder mystery, and Image Comics’ Narco has a really interesting hook. Narco is about a young man named Marcus Wesphal, and the series’ name is in reference to Marcus’s rare form of narcolepsy. Any time he gets too excited and his heart rate exceeds 200 beats per minute, he passes out. It’s an interesting bit of characterization and, honestly, something I’ve never seen in a story involving murder. But I’m always open to new stories, especially ones that find ways to put new twists on crime stories where someone is brutally taken out.

Narco #1 comes from Doug Wagner (The Average Joes, I Was a Fashion School Serial Killer) and pairs him up with frequent collaborator Daniel Hillyard. I’m not super familiar with either creator, but I can always appreciate unique crime comics. While I can’t compare this to any of their previous work, I do think Narco #1 has a very unique premise and that Wagner and Hillyard work together well. While the first issue of Narco does feel like a bit of a slow start, it’s got a lot going for it that readers will like.

PROS	CONS
Interesting character work for Marcus	Slow set-up
Artwork communicates Marcus’s narcolepsy well	Supporting cast feels a bit flat

Narco #1 is a Quiet Opening to an Interesting Murder Mystery

While Wagner and Hillyard’s story doesn’t obfuscate Marcus’ condition, Narco #1 gives him a broader characterization by showing that he runs a serial killer blog. However, it’s during his latest post that he gets a bit spooked by a possum, and Marcus’s anxiety spikes, causing him to pass out. Marcus takes precautions, but it’s clear that his rare form of narcolepsy causes him to lead a very sheltered life. He works from home and doesn’t venture very far to hang out with friends. As far as we know, the blog is the biggest thing going on in Marcus’s life.

The majority of the issue is pretty much all set up. Aside from getting to know Marcus and understanding how his condition works, we only really get to know his small friend group and Jess, Marcus’s neighbor and current love interest, though he’s very withdrawn when it comes to expressing his affection for her. Jess also has some baggage from a past relationship, which only exacerbates Marcus’s condition and complicates his desires to see her romantically. And while I can’t say any more, the issue really picks up at the end with a page that advances the story forward considerably.

Narco #1 Plays It Safe, But It’s Got Potential

I think the hardest thing for any first issue to do is give fans the set-up needed to enjoy the overall story while being an interesting story in and of itself. While I do think Narco #1 is decent overall, I can’t say I’m not a little disappointed in how little happens. Admittedly, it does give us the important details, such as Marcus’s narcolepsy or his relationship with Jess. But with nearly 30 pages of story, I expected a bit more, especially given such a provocative cover. All that said, I don’t think this was a bad story.

I think having a main character who passes out as the subject of a murder mystery is incredibly interesting. The story really details that anything can set off Marcus, from fear to exertion; anything could trigger his condition and leave him vulnerable. That makes for fantastic stakes as he faces difficulties certain to get his heart racing. I also really liked how this story communicated the creeping feeling of his narcolepsy, with the world gradually fading around him until all that’s left is darkness. Really, this opening chapter has great bones for a captivating crime story.

First issues can be hard to pull off, and though I think this story was a bit slow, it did what it needed to do. Give us an interesting hook, make us care about the main protagonist, and make us wonder what’s going to happen next. Was it the most nail-biting opening to an Image Comics series? No. But I can still appreciate what worked about it, and I think Wagner and Hillyard have a good story here. I’m quite interested to see where they take Narco yet, because this chapter does show a lot of promise.

What did you think of Narco #1? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

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