A first issue devoted to establishing a world and a protagonist through exposition so sloppy it verges on soliloquy, essentially the reader learns that the time is whenever o'clock and demon reality-journalist, the conscientious 'D', sells souls to the infernal masses from an independent soul shop situated in a hellish reality anchored to our own.

The frenetic style lends proceedings a skateboarder/graffiti-artist sensibility that I'm too old to appreciate, an occasional absence of dimension/solidity hampers the clarity of some bustling layout, and sequentialism is hindered by a thickly jagged framing of panels. That said, creator Jon Williams' fluid cartooning talent is much in evidence, and a Beetlejuice-like visual kookiness keeps earnest ambition in check.

Writing-wise, the undisciplined, stream of consciousness-like approach has its exuberant charm, but betrays a lack of story-crafting know-how. A more considered structure and tighter scripting applied to the development of future issues should provide the polish that helps realise the glimmer of potential this debut issue offers.

US size, b/w interior, 24 glossy pages. Email for ordering details. Site: www.createtodestroy.com