A First Look at CRASHING, the New Comic That’s Like ‘The Boys’ Meets ‘Nurse Jackie’

IDW has a new comic with a concept so ingenious you have to wonder how this isn’t a TV show yet. The five-part miniseries CRASHING follows a doctor who must navigate the perils of treating superpowered clients while struggling with her own self-destructive tendencies and imploding relationships. Part emergency room drama with a super-spin and part deep dive into what it means to be human, CRASHING is on its way from writer Matthew Klein and artist Morgan Beem in fall 2022. We got a first look at the evocative art and story Klein and Beem are bringing to the page.

Here’s the official CRASHING synopsis from IDW:

Less than ten years into her rehabilitation, recovering addict Rose Osler is one of a handful of doctors in the United States who specialize in treating “Powered individuals,” human beings imbued with a range of incredible—and according to some, fundamentally dangerous—superhuman attributes. Amid a sudden, rising wave of violence and chaos apparently provoked by these Powered citizens, Rose struggles to balance the ghosts of her past with the mounting pressure of her professional responsibilities, all while fighting to hold her strained marriage together and avoid the lure of getting high.

In a time when it feels like a lot of our superhero media is growing too convoluted, grimdark, or been-there-done-that for its own good, CRASHING arrives like a breath of fresh air. It’s also incredibly timely and reflective of the moment. “Over the pandemic, we saw such an increase in people needing help, falling into self-destructive behaviors, addiction, or alcoholism, it felt like there needed to be a story about a first responder who needs help but doesn’t know how to ask for it. Heroes need help, too,” Klein said, explaining the inspiration behind the series. “We’ve all seen an extraordinary number of heroes step up on the frontlines of the pandemic. I wanted to explore a story about an everyday hero who wants to save everybody at the expense of herself and how dangerous that kind of self-neglect can be.”

Klein and Beem’s immersive, pulse-pounding panels capture the chaos that faces medical professionals on a daily basis—and that’s before we factor in a world where “powered” people exist. Along with Klein and Beem, the CRASHING team includes veteran comics editor Heather Antos, colorist Triona Farrell, and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Combining the high stakes of an ER setting with a universe where some patients can blow up the place with a single open eye primes us for a unique and nail-biting narrative. With a brilliantly flawed female protagonist and a plot that promises both political intrigue and personal exploration, CRASHING is a story that we need right now. We can’t wait to get our hands on it, and we’ll be looking for issue #1 at comic shops on September 21^st, 2022.

(images: IDW, art by Morgan Beem, Jorge Corona)