EI8HT Volume 1: Outcast - Softcover

Johnson, Mike

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1616556374 ISBN 13: 9781616556372

Publisher: Dark Horse Books, 2015

Synopsis

Welcome to the Meld, an inhospitable dimension in time where Joshua, a chrononaut, finds himself trapped. With no memory or feedback from the team of scientists that sent him, he can't count on anything but his heart and a stranger's voice to guide him to his destiny.

This book collects issues #1-#5 of the thrilling time-traveling adventures created and beautifully rendered by acclaimed artist Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire) and expertly cowritten by Mike Johnson (Supergirl).

"Rafa's art in this series looks unlike anything else on the stands, and he's bringing a level of visual invention to the story that is stunning. We really want to give readers a setting and characters they've never seen before, and we hope this is just the start of the stories that can be told in this world." - Co-writer Mike Johnson on Ei8ht

About this title

About the Author:

Rafael Albuquerque is the Eisner and Harvey Award winning co-creator of Crimeland(Image Comics, 2007), Mondourbano (Oni Press, 2010), and the New York Times best selling series, American Vampire (DC Comics/Vertigo, 2010). Having been in the industry since 2003, Rafael has worked with all major publishers in the business. He has illustrated popular books such as Batman, for DC Comics, Uncanny X-Force for Marvel Comics, and many more. The author lives in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Review:

"Albuquerque doesn't introduce us to the Meld or the inhabitants therein in a dainty manner; the book simply says, "Here you go. Let's rock." And rock is exactly what "Ei8ht" #1 does with snappy dialogue, eye-catching scenery and a mystery as deep as twenty-two pages can accommodate. This world Albuquerque offers to share with us is interesting enough that I cannot wait for more.” - Comic Book Resources
 
"One of the biggest compliments I can give this book is that with Image and BOOM! Studios cornering the market on flashy, creator-owned books, Ei8ht is the kind of masterful debut that looks to be able to stand right alongside them. There's a clear deliberateness to every choice made in this comic, and every page seems to hold the potential of a new mystery, one that you can't wait to crack. That kind of a hook is rare in this day and age, particularly in a serialized medium that often feels like a numbers game.” - Newsarama

"Unsurprisingly, Albuquerque's art emerges as the main selling point here. Ei8ht has a fairly different aesthetic from Albuquerque's recent DC work. The line-work is a bit looser, but not necessarily less detailed. Albuquerque shows a greater range of facial work and emotional expression in this issue, and that goes a long way towards building tone and making characters like Joshua feel like fully realized people despite their aura of mystery. meanwhile, there's a clever use of color driving this book. Most panels feature only one or two hues, with each color denoting a certain time period or locale. The effect is like a more robust version of Casanova (back in the days when that series relied on monochrome art rather than full color). This series' distinctive visual style sets it apart as much as anything” -IGN

"“EI8HT” #1 is an interesting sc-fi mystery/thriller with phenomenal artwork. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment.” -  Bloody Disgusting

"Ei8ht might be an epic sci-fi tale, but it's the emotional development of the characters within that makes it stand out. Along with a captivating premise, and mysterious setting, this is a series that I definitely will be following, and you should too.” - Unleash the Fanboy

"Crackling with originality and adventure, EI8HTis stunning creator-owned debut from one of the most celebrated artists in the business today. A masterpiece of visual storytelling with a genuinely compelling mystery at its heart, this is a series I honestly cant recommend highly enough. Bring on the second issue, and quickly!” - Big Comic Page
  
"Ei8ht has fullysucked me into its world. One comic that made me get lost in the little details traveling through the past, present, future, and everything else in between in the world Ei8ht is forming. It's a comic that has everything I could want in a book. It's nice to have a book that gives you just enough to make you clamor for more.Ei8ht is easily a book that I could gush on and on about. By the time you're done with Ei8ht in this issue, you're going to be saying, "Hey where's the next issue, I want it now!", and you just have to be patient till next month. Buy this book, enjoy it, and get lost in it as much as I have.” - Rhymes With Geek 

"Ei8ht kicks off to an exciting first issue that demands your attention from start to finish. It's one of the most enjoyable reads I've had so far this year and the story is incredibly well-structured so you get the comic's plot without getting an overtly-wordy explanation. Keep your eye on this series because I have a feeling it's going places.” - Adventures In Poor Taste
  
"Awesome debut issue. Super stoked for the rest!” - Comics: The Gathering
"EI8HT is a stunning and evocative new series from one of the best artists working in the business. The compelling premise takes familiar tropes and turns them on their head, asking readers to trust in it. Given the cliffhanger ending and plethora of questions left unanswered, we're in for the long haul. Highly recommended.” - Behind The Panels
  
"A strong start to a great book. EI8HT has the potential to be a fantastic series. Oh, and did I mention it has Nazis and dinosaurs? Ill take two copies please.” - Comic Buzz
 
"Colorful characters, gorgeous backdrops, strong writing, what's not to love about this series already? Strap in for a wild ride. I guarantee Ei8ht will fly off the shelves.” - Coming Up Comics

"The potential is definitely here, but you have to really absorb all the elements of it, not just the story, not just the art, but the two and the coloring of it all.” - Fandom Post
  
"At the very least, this first issue sets up the remainder of the series for some success, as not only is the story interesting by itself, but so too are the character well-written, especially the band of survivors that the time traveler encounters. Ei8ht still ends up being a refreshing tale of time travel, maybe not as groundbreaking in its version of the concept in its first issue, but still trying out something new while also borrowing from other works in the genre. The new plot device of the meld works well as a microcosm of this series, trying out some new ideas and some old ones, and mixing them together into something interesting.” -Graphic Policy
  
"Ei8ht is an awesome first issue (in every sense of the word), the kind of comic that makes me want to hit the comic shop every Wednesday to see how my latest episodes of my favorite series play out. This first issue, by Rafael Albuquerque and Mike Johnson, spills enough of its secrets to be intriguing, reveals enough of its fictional world to get the reader pondering what is happening, and delivers enough fascinating WTFness to make it stand out from the crowd.” - Comics Bulletin
 
"Despite those earlier complaints, I'm in on this one; I want to see what persuaded Joshua to risk this extraordinary predicament in the first place. Given the style of this story, that may or may not be possible, which really is just one more reason to stick around and find out. “ -Comic Crusaders
 
"By the end of the story, it is clear that the creators have a grand vision for this story. It is hard to decide just what mystery is the most intriguing and what will follow in issue two. What is going on in that stand-alone page of a future city where roses are exchanged? The only way to find out is to get on board. Ei8ht looks destined to be one of the years best.” - All-Comic
  
"I'm excited to see where the book goes from here. We've got all the makings of an interesting, unique sci-fi story seamlessly integrated with beautiful, focused artwork. If you haven't picked it up yet, I highly recommend it. “ - Latest Pull
 
"I'm interested to see where this story will lead and to learn more about the people of The Meld in future issues of EI8HT “ - Word of the Nerd 
 
"Ei8ht is a very solid read. With an easy to follow plot but put together like a puzzle, the book was a fun read. The characters have some grit to them and definitely leave an impression. The visuals are a match for the story and the universe it resides in. Overall, this is a comic that is worth picking up.” - ComicList

"If you're a fan of the sci-fi genre, this book is definitely something you need to check out. On top of being a book about time travel, this book is a mystery at heart right now and that part of the story is what's really drawing me back for a second issue. Pair that with the timeless work of Rafael Albuquerque, Ei8ht could very well be the sleeper hit of early 2015!” - Following the Nerd

About this edition

• Publisher: Dark Horse Books
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1616556374
• ISBN 13: 9781616556372
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 128
• Illustrator: Albuquerque Rafael