Warning! Spoilers ahead for Supernatural #1!
Supernatural is back, and it is fully capturing the Season 1 vibe of the show. Dynamite Entertainment’s new Supernatural comic series returns to Sam and Dean’s formative days as monster-hunters. The first issue dials the franchise back to its essence, delivering the classic Winchester brothers dynamic from before it was burdened by later seasons’ metaphysics and mythology.
Supernatural #1 is written by Greg Pak, with art by Eder Messias. The series premiere evokes the “creature feature” style of the show’s early run, while also introducing a new potential romantic foil for Dean.
The issue is at its best, though, in its back-and-forth between Sam and Dean, setting a strong foundation for the stories to come.
Supernatural Is Back With Season 1-Era Stories That Feel Like “Lost Episodes” Of The Legendary Show
Supernatural #1, Written By Greg Pak; Art By Eder Messias; Available Now From Dynamite Entertainment
Supernatural #1 is a self-contained story set toward the end of Season 1 of the show. As such, it deliberately strives for a “lost episode” quality. It is a monster hunt that happened between the adventures fans saw on screen. It is carefully plotted to situate itself into the context of Sam and Dean’s familiar character arc.
The issue follows the formula of early Supernatural episodes, in the best possible way. Sam and Dean show up in a small town, learn of a mysterious death, and follow this lead until it brings them to a confrontation with a monster that needs hunting. In this case, an “imp,” which Sam explains is a “demonspawn.”
This formula is necessarily compressed for the comic medium, but what that leads to is a lean, to-the-point Supernatural story that prioritizes Dean and Sam’s brotherly dynamic over the action and spectacle of their fight with the Imp. In other words, exactly what constitutes the core of the best Supernatural TV episodes.
Supernatural Returns To Its Original Premise While Delivering New Characters And Setting Up New Mysteries
Who Is “Effie” And Could She Be Trouble For The Winchesters?
Supernatural #1 sticks pretty close to the source material, though it does take a few interesting liberties. Most notably, the Winchesters aren’t driving their trademark Impala; it is explained in the issue that the Impala is hidden, while they drive a stolen “loaner,” due to Dean’s light credit card forgery.
The issue also introduces “Effie” a soulless, literally by the end of the issue, corporate C.E.O. who possibly knows more about John Winchester than his sons do, and who seems poised to pop back up as the series progresses. It’s possible she could be a love interest for Dean, or perhaps the new villain author Greg Pak teased.
In any case, it is a solid start to Supernatural’s new comic era, which returns to the original concept of the series, and the early days of Sam and Dean. Already, the comic is scratching the itch for Supernatural fans who wish there were just a few more episodes of Season 1.
Supernatural #1 is available now from Dynamite Entertainment.
- Created by
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Eric Kripke
- First Episode Air Date
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September 13, 2005
- Cast
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Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Jim Beaver, Mark Sheppard, Mark Pellegrino, Alexander Calvert, Katie Cassidy, Lauren Cohan, Genevieve Padalecki, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Samantha Smith, Felicia Day, Kim Rhodes, Ruth Connell
- Spin-offs
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ghostfacers, Supernatural: The Anime Series, The Winchesters