FIRST LOOK: A MISCHIEF OF MAGPIES #1 (DSTLRY)
A young boy named Marinus leads a tough life, that only gets weirder when he falls asleep. While asleep he is transported to a world where he doesn’t know if it’s real or not. This first issue of this series from DSTLRY releases on July 15th, 2026, at the comic shops. Ahead of the Final Order Cutoff date of Monday May 25th, 2026, DSTLRY gave us a copy for a SPOILER FREE first look review.
A Mischief of Magpies #1 - Written By Simon Spurrier – Art By Matías Bergara – Colors By Matías Bergara & Kike J. Díaz - Letters By Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou – Edited By Eric Harburn - Published By DSTLRY
Credit: DSTLRY
STORY OVERVIEW:
Marinus is a young boy who has had a very rough life despite being young. It seems like everything that can go wrong does go wrong. He is bullied, beat up, and treated like he is invisible by his peers. The adults in his life don’t know how to treat him and what ails him. And to top it all off his younger sister, Sally, is really sick and this ties up his parents and puts extra stress on him. He needs an escape and fortunately for him that comes in the form of what appears to be a lucid dream. But as the years go on, this dream becomes increasingly more real. This world is strange and appears to need his help, which makes him feel needed for the first time in his life. But is this world real or just a dream?
WRITING:
The first issue of this new series is a little crazy and keeps you off balance throughout the issue. Simon Spurrier crafts this crazy and weird dream world where fantastic things happen. The weird nature of what is happening in this strange world keeps the reader in awe and amazement. Spurrier blurs the line between what’s real and what may very well be make believe. This keeps the reader guessing what is really going on and builds a certain level of anticipation for finding out what is really happening.
Spurrier really excels in painting the picture of who Marinus is. The sad outcast who is misunderstood and often bullied. A child that feels that they are not important and often feels alone. This sadness and gloom of his existence makes you care about him even more. The way Spurrier tugs on your heartstrings brings a dreary feel to the story, but also a strange feeling of hope for Marinus as well.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this first issue perfectly captures the story in every aspect. Matías Bergara brings this strange and sad world to life with his artwork. The art has a depressing quality to it that goes a long way in making the reader feel the despair and depression Marinus is going through. Even in the strange dream world you notice that the artwork is more subdued. Bergara’s art compliments the story on every panel. The colors are dark and gloomy throughout most of the issue, and even when they warm up a bit, you still get the sense that there is an underlying sadness.
Final Thoughts:
A Mischief of Magpies #1 is weird depressing introduction into a strange world that may not even be real. The story explores a young man’s rough life well intertwining it with a strange and hopeful dream world. This is a heavy read that brings a gloomy feeling of hope to the reader. Make sure to get down to your Local Comic Shop before Monday May 25th and order your copy, to make sure you are locked in to get a copy when it launches on July 15th!
FINAL GRADE: 8.6/10
Let me know your thoughts on A Mischief of Magpies #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
