Getting engaged is one of the happiest moments in a couples’ relationship, and it’s pretty hard to ruin the resulting bliss that follows the event. Unless, of course, one of the two becomes frozen in place.

That tragic, bizarre event is exactly what happens in Standstill #1. Mason, a former combat medic turned EMT, finds his new fiancée, Luna, stock still as though she’s a toy whose batteries have been removed. After the initial confusion and panic, he starts noticing other eerie things, like the lack of traffic and chattering kids at the school bus stop. The news channels that are still working confirm that there’s a global paralysis that has afflicted many people who have just stopped moving.

This debut issue, written by Justin Gray with art by Jimmy Broxton, is a very intriguing introduction to a new series. In some ways, it’s simply laid out – intimate and isolated – but it’s also complex in the details, like zoo animals loose and seeking food or a plane crashing because the pilot was affected.

Between Gray’s writing and Broxton’s art, the horror of the situation is laid out well. Readers can empathize with Mason’s fright and confusion while he tries to make rational decisions in the wake of a Twilight Zone scenario. His devotion to Luna, who is still alive despite her state, makes him even more likeable.

This review is a bit different than our typical Off the Presses articles, in that this issue was released over the summer via Kickstarter. The second issue is currently on Kickstarter and perks include a bundle of the first and second issues.

Interested readers can learn more about the Kickstarter campaign and read an interview with Gray on Scoop.

-Amanda Sheriff