Writer: David Pepose
Artist: Gavin Guidry
Colorist: Liz Kramer
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Publisher: Action Labs: Danger Zone

Switching gears after an intensely dark and turbulent end to Spencer and Locke 2, breakout writer David Pepose invites us to crash a wedding that’s coming off the rails before it even begins, which I suppose describes every wedding ever, right? Well, this one also involves a $250 million jewel heist, a Bad Elvis gang, and a rich family so obnoxious they almost put the Bluths to shame. Strap in, because Going to the Chapel #1 gives the term “shotgun wedding” a whole new meaning.

In an interview with Rogues Portal, David mentioned that women aren’t often portrayed as struggling with commitment issues in pop culture, so it was something in particular he wanted to explore in Going to the Chapel. I somewhat disagree with that assessment (Runaway Bride anyone?), but it’s clear that even when women do deal with these traditionally “male-only concerns” as he puts it, it’s in a safe, familiar story structure like a rom-com (so yeah, Runaway Bride). That’s the mold he’s looking to break in Going to the Chapel, and, as usual, he’s leaning hard into his premise to do it.

From the cover alone, we can tell Emily is her own brand of badass bride, though we barely scratch the surface of her character in this first issue as we are introduced to the rest of the players in this wedding-heist gone sideways. We do get the sense that Emily is feeling like a hostage in more ways than one, and this underlying tension is really what drives the story forward from the start. By the time the Bad Elvis gang hits the stage, it seems she may prefer the fire to the frying pan. Even if I didn’t always agree with her actions, you gotta love a woman who embraces the chaos on her wedding day!

The coloring in Going to the Chapel #1 is really what stood out the most for me. David is convinced Liz Kramer is “going to be the next Laura Martin,” and he’s definitely not wrong. The orange and purple hues create that shootout-at-sundown atmosphere and really elevate the tone. Gavin Guidry also shows up with some clean linework and very emotive facial expressions, providing an interesting contrast to the eerily expressionless Elvis masks. The line up of shotgun-wielding Elvises that leads into the title page is absolutely iconic and evokes that Tarantino-vibe (check out our full interview for a glimpse at the preview pages).

Going to the Chapel #1 is expected in stores on September 4, 2019.