The first reason why you should pick up Dept.H is because creator Matt Kindt is a genius. If you don’t know who he is, go back and read his opus, Mind MGMT, a spiraling mindbender about a secret government program training and managing people with all sorts of colorful mental powers. It will break you in all sorts of ways.
The first issue of Dept.H sets the reader up for an adventure. A whodunit seven miles below the surface of the ocean in a compound known as Department H. A personal journey with twists and turns, focusing on details in the first issue that you know will matter in the 60th issue. It introduces us to more than a handful of characters that could have very well committed a murder. Our appointed detective, Mia, has connections with most all the crew, including the victim. How will she be able to separate her emotions and keep her eye on the prize? How will she survive in an environment in which there is no escape and no one can come to help you, in which only a few inches on the other side of the wall lies immediate death? It’s the Abyss, it’s Sherlock Holmes, it’s Solaris (the 1972 Tarkovsky version).
I’m in this. I’m in this to the end. And starting with the second issue, I’m going to do more than write a review, I’m going to follow the clues. I’m going to break this down. I’m going to Clue the heck out of this thing. This is exactly the kind of serial the comic book world needs right now. Bring it, Mr. Kindt!