EC Shellshock #1 Review
Writers: John Arcudi, Michael W Conrad, Julio Anta, Benito
Cereno, Tom Fowler, William M Gaines & Al Feldstein
Artists: Shawn Martinbrough, Albert Monteys, David Lapham,
Tom Fowler & Jack Davis
Colorists: Matt Herms, Albert Monteys, Nick Filardi,
Michelle Madsen, & Michael Atiyeh
Letterers: Rich Starkings & Tyler Smith
Cover Artists: Lee Bermejo; Tyler Crook; Tom Fowler with
Chris O’Halloran; Jay Stephens; Rian Hughes
Editors: Allyson Gronowitz, Jung Hu Lee & Sierra Hahn
Publisher: Oni Press
Price: $8.99 US
Release Date: August 19, 2026
The soldiers who fought in the trenches of World War I
called it Shellshock. A century later, it goes by Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder. But whether you call it Shellshock, PTSD, or Combat Stress Reaction,
it's just a label. And no label can compare to the mark war leaves on soldiers.
Sometimes for a few years. Sometimes, for life.
EC's new Shellshock anthology begins in the charnel house of
Afghanistan. Where will it transport readers next? And how will it explore the
battles veterans face at home? Let's grab our combat gear, leap into EC
Shellshock #1, and see what happens!
Story
John Arcudi transports readers back a quarter century to the
Shkin Firebase in Afghanistan. In “Scorched Earth,” Corporal Rita Cruces'
military service is winding down. But as her friend Denny reminds her, just
because she's about to go home, she should not succumb to superstition.
While Rita Cruces fears venturing into enemy territory days
before her release, Michael W. Conrad transports readers back to World War I.
After six months of fighting in the trenches, the higher-ups on both sides have
organized a holiday truce. In "Christmas," an unnamed soldier worries
about abandoning the trenches to bury his fallen soldiers. But he fears meeting
the monsters he's only caught glimpses of amid the fighting.
For this third trip through time in EC Shellshock #1, Julio
Anta transports readers to Langley, Virginia, in 1964. Dr Jeremy Davis’
patriotism is the guiding force of his life in “Blowback.” As he works for the
CIA’s Directorate of Science and Technology, he knows that a nuclear bomb could
end his life in an instant. And with the insidious threat of Communism recently
infecting Cuba’s leader, Jeremy hopes to succeed where the Bay of Pigs Invasion
failed.
After examining a century of Human warfare from different
perspectives, Benito Cerena and Tom Fowler venture beyond this planet wracked
by conflict. In “World of the Wars," many alien races have united to forge
a historic pact. The assembled species recognize the intolerable cost of
warfare to their people and resources. Still, recognizing that reasonable
people will not always agree, the enlightened representatives propose a means
of resolving their differences without damaging their worlds or incurring
civilian casualties.
Finally, William M Gaines and Al Feldstein return us to the
battlefields of Europe in their classic 1952 reprint, "Yellow." With
the Germans encroaching on their position, Colonel Clark Henderson cannot
contact Headquarters in EC Shellshock #1. But while he organizes a mission to get
reinforcements, Clark learns that his son, his pride and joy, may not be living
up to his ideals.
Art
In “Scorched Earth,” Shawn Martinbrough and Matt Herms
surround the soldiers with the mountainous desert. A red, white, and blue flag
brightens the gray mess hall, while green and yellow link the soldiers with the
foreign lands. Yet in this story about the haunting nature of warfare, yellow
and orange flames symbolize the toll warfare takes on its participants.
Gaunt faces, protected by steel helmets, peer over sandbags
at a land of stunted and broken trees. Yet burning candles affixed to barren
branches symbolize common ground. When the soldiers gather, yellow and orange
compete with the dominant browns and grays as darkness falls. Yet after a
soldier stares at a black-and-white photo in “Christmas,” Albert Monteys paints
a soldier’s recollections in vibrant green.
On a bright, sunny day, the US flag flies beside a building
and a futuristic parking lot canopy. In their laboratory, scientists use
welding torches, hypodermic needles, soldering irons, and noxious chemicals to
fashion weapons of surreptitious destruction. Yet in David Lapham & Nick
Filardi's dark comedy "Blowback," a white-and-red creation and blue
Xs on photos symbolize the protagonist’s patriotism in EC Shellshock #1.
The diversity of life that gathers at an excavated comet
proclaims the eternal desire for peace. Yet, Tom Fowler’s portraits of
civilization and its fragility make “World of the Wars” a heartbreaking read.
As Michelle Madsen enlivens a series of regulated conflicts, yellow and orange
are followed by splashes of red. Yet amid the hyperreal colors of this
Hollywood Tent Pole-style production, an object covered in brown cloth becomes
a symbol people cling to.
As the Colonel studies a map, his Sergeant plugs wires into
a control board while listening to headphones. Michael Atiyeh’s restored
coloring adorns the characters in green uniforms and brown equipment, while
faded or vibrant flats highlight foreground characters and tense encounters. As
in a single-location set TV show, Jack Davis cranks up the tension as the
Colonel plans, waits, worries, and barks orders in his field office. When he
finally abandons it in “Yellow,” his actions lead both to victory and defeat.
Lettering
Rich Starkings and Tyler Smith fill white dialogue balloons
with black uppercase text, while narration fills white and colored boxes.
"Christmas" and "World of the Wars" are narrative-only
stories. But while one bespeaks reverence for comrades, the second emphasizes following
the rules to preserve the peace. Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions
for providing a review copy.
Final Thoughts
Every action can have unintended consequences. Just as a
stone thrown into a pond creates a myriad of ripples, so do the conflicts in
war. Once the weapons begin firing, acts of compassion and friendship can be
misinterpreted or abused. To preserve their futures, people compromise their
principles in the name of peace. Yet even after the fighting stops, people pay
the price for using violence to resolve conflicts in EC Shellshock #1.
Rating 9.8/10
For more cover art & other Oni anthologies, see EC Shellshock #1 Cover Preview.
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