ANY GIVEN SMILE #1 (IDW DARK)

The big game is coming up, but that’s not all that is on the mind of the starting quarterback Maximillian Dupree. After a string of mysterious deaths surrounding the bookkeeping and sports betting world. The only connection is they all died with a smile. Now, Dupree needs to not only navigate the big game but also navigate the craziness surrounding these deaths before it’s too late.

Any Given Smile #1 - Written By Stephanie Williams – Art By Pablo Collar – Colors By Tríona Farrell - Letters By Ariana Maher – Edited By Heather Antos - Published By IDW Publishing

Credit: IDW Dark

***POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING***

STORY OVERVIEW:

It’s 1995 and the rival league to the NFL, the AAL is close to having its championship game and the Sharks are going to be led by their backup quarterback Maximillian Dupree. The bookies and sports talk analysts are giving the Sharks the chance for an upset. However, there is something darker going on than messing with the point spread. As starting with a bookie named Eddie people in the sports betting world start dying mysteriously. The only thing they have in common is that they are found with smiles on their faces. Now the big game isn’t the only thing Dupree, and others have to worry about. It may be a game that will help you live on forever, but only if the smile doesn’t get you first.

WRITING:

This first issue of Any Given Smile immediately brings readers back into the unsettling world of the Smile franchise while giving its familiar horror a fresh and compelling sports centered twist. Stephanie Williams confidently introduces the alternate 1995 setting, the AAL championship race, and backup quarterback Maximillian Dupree without allowing the world building to overwhelm the mystery. Dupree’s unexpected opportunity to lead the Sharks creates a strong emotional and dramatic foundation: he is already carrying the pressure of the biggest game of his career when a string of disturbing deaths begins to close in around the sports betting community. That contrast between public spectacle and private terror gives the issue an effective sense of tension, as every conversation about odds, point spreads, and championship glory carries the possibility that something far more sinister is developing beneath the surface.

Williams also uses the football setting as more than a gimmick. The culture surrounding the sport, its rivalries, gambling, media attention, and obsession with legacy, fits naturally with the franchise’s themes of fear, inevitability, and the dangerous power of a smile. The story reveals its mystery at a measured pace, offering enough clues to keep readers engaged while carefully withholding the full scope of the threat. The suggestion that the smiling entity may have a larger plan adds another layer of dread and raises the stakes beyond a single victim or game. By the final page, the issue has established an intriguing cast, a distinctive setting, and a chilling central question, making it difficult not to wonder who will be targeted next and how Dupree’s pursuit of victory will become entangled with the horror surrounding him.

ARTWORK:

The artwork in this first issue is a major part of what makes the story so effective, with Pablo Collar giving the book a visual identity that feels grounded in mid-1990s professional football while still belonging unmistakably to the disturbing world of Smile. His line work brings a convincing sense of scale and energy to the stadiums, locker rooms, broadcast spaces, and sports-betting environments, allowing the reader to feel the pressure surrounding the AAL championship. The period details are especially strong. From the clothing and hairstyles to the technology, advertisements, and overall design of the setting, the pages consistently reinforce that the story takes place in 1995 without making those details feel forced or distracting. Collar also handles the characters’ expressions and body language with precision, which is essential in a story where an ordinary smile can suddenly become a warning sign. Seemingly straightforward conversations carry an undercurrent of tension because the artwork encourages readers to study every face and question whether something sinister is hiding behind it.

That careful realism makes the horror sequences even more unsettling. When the story shifts into violence or supernatural dread, the imagery becomes more intense without losing clarity, creating moments that are graphic, memorable, and appropriately uncomfortable. Triona Farrell’s colors heighten that contrast by giving the everyday football scenes a rich, believable atmosphere while allowing darker tones and sharper color choices to take control whenever the threat emerges. The palette helps separate the excitement of the championship story from the growing sense that something is terribly wrong, yet the transitions between those moods remain smooth and purposeful. Ariana Maher’s lettering also contributes to the pacing, keeping dialogue, broadcasts, and moments of panic easy to follow while strengthening the rhythm of each scene. Together, the art team creates pages that invite readers to linger over the details while still pulling them quickly through the suspense. The result is polished, atmospheric visual storytelling that deepens the mystery, amplifies the scares, and makes the prospect of seeing where this team takes the series next even more exciting.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF SMILE: FOR THE CAMERA #5

Final Thoughts:

Any Given Smile #1 is an awesome first issue for this new chapter in the Smile franchise. This story will have you wanting the next issue as soon as you finish reading this first issue. If you are a horror fan this is a must get first issue and series! Make sure to rush down to your Local Comic Shop and grab a copy or two of this thrilling first issue. While you are there, also make sure to add it to your Pull List so you don’t miss an issue of this series.

FINAL GRADE: 9.6/10

Let me know your thoughts on Any Given Smile #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!