The first issue of The Electric Sublime brings the wonderful world of art into the comic book universe. This fact is proven as soon as you remotely glance at the cover page. Artist Martin Morazzo and colorist Mat Lopes create a colorful, busy design with many basic shapes transformed into complex images. At the bottom of this page, you’ll find Art.

Art Brut is some kind of fine art savant, at least that’s the impression the reader gets when the Director of the Bureau of Artistic Integrity comes to visit. Director Breslin is investigating a crime and she believes Art can help, if he’s well enough to do so. It’s unclear why he’s been placed in a mental institute, but his initial introduction seems to warrant a long, continued stay.

The crime involved in this story includes an alteration to one of the most historically famous paintings in all the world. Along with this priceless offense, many people have left a basic sketch resembling this altered painting after committing a horrific crime. Writer W. Maxwell Prince doesn’t pull any punches with the fallout from this initial crime. Children aren’t spared from some of these awful acts, as parents succumb to whatever forces would make them harm a child.

Fortunately, there aren’t any gory scenes for these particular instances, and it’s a further indication of how something is horribly wrong. The opposite personalities of Breslin and Brut must come together to somehow save the day. It doesn’t appear much can happen from returning to the opening crime scene; however, these two are about to find themselves muddled deep within some kind of deadly, unknown syndicate.

Prince has created characters to stretch the limits of this story. Is Brut psychotic or is there something to his apparent madness? Is Breslin a stiff, by-the-books character or will the reader find out she’s simply direct, professional, and watching her steps around a guy talking to his doll? The interaction between these two would seemingly gain significant pull as the reader continues through the series, much like many characters popular in the entertainment world; House and Cuddy, Sheldon and Amy, or the perfect likeness of Dunham and Bishop. Please tell me Fringe fans got the last reference.

This story will contemplate the true nature of Art’s madness, whether or not tie-dye clothing is making a comeback, and how creepy a kid can really be. Readers will definitely be ready to get the next issue of this series, particularly after such a bizarre conclusion, which will make you want an explanation right now!

The Electric Sublime #1 is available on Wednesday, October 19, for print and digital release from IDW Publishing.