Drowntown: Book One, by Robbie Morrison and Jim Murray

Co-creator of Nikolai Dante and Japanese Dredd-spinoff Shimura, Robbie Morrison has been making an impact on UK and international comics since the early 90s. His latest project, Drowntown, is set in a flooded future London – a scenario already explored at length in the Warren Ellis / Paul Duffield webcomic FreakAngels. But whereas the Ellis version was a post-apocalyptic coming of age tale, Morrison's take is rooted in noir tropes, with a private detective investigating a conspiracy amongst the population of genetically-engineered beasts, hoverbike-riding vixens and menacing corporate villains.

Jim Murray's painted art is exquisite, stylistically occupying a mid-point between the richly textured fantasy art of Simon Bisley and the painter Peter Howson. Every page is stunning, with spectacular, kinetic layouts and expressive, intricately detailed characters. Morrison's script, however, leaves a lot to be desired. There's just too much familiarity in the voice of his grizzled ex-cop turned private eye; too much exposition to get through to explain the careful and appealing world-building. Perhaps, given enough time, the rich textures of the art will be matched by Morrison's vision, but judged solely on the first volume, Drowntown offers frankly astonishing style, but sadly lacks convincing substance. [Bram E. Gieben]