You had me at Chris Condon, but absolutely hooked me at Charlie Adlard. Of The Earth sees two of the greats in comics today combining, along with newcomer Andew Ehrich, to craft a character-driven first issue with eerie sense of dread.
Tabitha ‘Tabby’ Black flees a sordid life for her quiet hometown of Solitude, Texas and the comfort of her Gramma’s home where she was raised. Only home isn’t what it once was…. and neither is Gramma.
The first issue of Of The Earth sets the tone and vibe for the series, focusing on Tabby’s journey back to her Gramma’s house in Solitude, Texas where she discovers more than a simple sign of her family member knitting on the couch. Condon creates this unsettling sense of dread throughout the first issue that something big was going to happen but took its time getting there. This just made the reading experience all the more better.
While I am excited to see where this story takes us, it’s the artwork of Adlard that really had me going. It’s not just Robert Kirkman’s story that had me falling in love with The Walking Dead, but it’s Charlie’s moody illustrations that made the comic what it is today. That is the feeling we get in Of The Earth. Adlard brings his A-game to this premiere issue and sets the tone visually for what we can expect throughout. However, it’s not just his illustrations, it’s the colors from Pip Martin and that fantastic lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou that brings this wonderful comic to life.
The creative team works seamlessly on this series, using the art to tell the story and letting it breathe at just the right times. Condon doesn’t over explain things and allows Adlard to illustrate the story visually, improving the overall reading experience. It’s refreshing when a talented writer and outstanding illustrator are able to work together in such a rewarding way.
There is so much more to this story left to be told, but this first issue of Of The Earth does a incredible job laying the groundwork with the unsettling ease as the issue grows towards an intense final few pages and a last couple of panels that will leave you picking your jaw up off the ground. What makes this series even more unique is how Condon will alternate storytelling duties with Andew Ehrich with every issue allowing each writer to flex their writing muscles.
Of The Earth #1 is a debut issue that sinks its claws into you slowly, building on an eerie atmosphere that lingers. Chris Condon, Andrew Ehrich, and Charlie Adlard craft a haunting, character-driven story that feels as unsettling as it is gripping. Between Condon’s stellar storytelling and Adlard’s moody illustrations, this first issue lays the foundation for what could be one of the best comics of the year.
Of the Earth #1 hits local comic shops on May 20, 2026 from Image Comics.
Of the Earth #1 Preview
