Over the last few years, creators James Tynion IV and Eryk Donovan have been delving into some Cronenberg-esque areas of horror with their series of comics that I’ll call the “-ic” series. Memetic and Cognetic were the first two series that delved into the downfall of the human race in equally terrifying ways. They were both strange and effective creations that I loved. Now, Eugenic, while still holding true to the terrifying horror elements of the previous books, is just as much about the rebirth of the human race as it is the destruction of it.

Doctor Cyrus Crane and a terrible epidemic are the main focuses of the first issue. Without giving too much away, the good doctor wants to better the human race in the face of the having to deal with this disease that has wiped out 60% of the world’s population. How he chooses to do this, well, it’s worth reading to find out.

Much of this first issue is dedicated to exposition and welcoming us into the situation. When what’s happening is slowly revealed, you find yourself becoming more and more unnerved. This issue is baby steps; the leap seems to occur as we head into issue two.

Tynion’s writing is good. The dialogue flows, the story makes sense, and the characters and motivations all make sense. For something so bizarre, everything makes sense. For something as gooey and gross as it is at times, it’s emotionally effective and perceptive. The exposition feels a little on the nose at times, but why complain?

Donovan’s images continue to meld perfectly with Tynion’s writing style. They strengthen each other. He’s good at giving us both the grounded read world and also the gooey, gross worlds – sometimes, in all the same glorious image. I loved the first two stories in their apocalyptic tales, and this one is off to a great start. Give it a go!