FIRST LOOK: SEVEN WIVES #1 (IDW CRIME)
IDW Publishing is launching a new crime imprint called IDW Crime and the first series from this imprint is upon us! Seven Wives is a murder mystery about a controversial religious figure who is murdered at the pulpit. Now, detectives have to figure out who killed him by investigating his seven wives and oldest son. This new series launches on May 20th, 2026, at the comic shops. Ahead of the Final Order Cutoff date of Monday April 13th, 2026, IDW Publishing gave us a copy for a SPOILER FREE first look review.
Seven Wives #1 - Written By Zoe Tunnell – Art By V Gagnon – Inks By Maria Keane – Colors By Antonio Del Hoyo - Published By IDW Publishing
Credit: IDW Crime
STORY OVERVIEW:
Religious leader Matthew Dunn is at the pulpit when he is suddenly attacked and stabbed to death. Upon the arrival of Detectives Aguilar and Halwell to the families compound they learn of Matthew’s seven wives and strict religious teachings. As the detectives start by questioning the wives and Matthew’s oldest son Jeremiah, they quickly learn that this fundamentalist Morman Family has a lot of secrets and possible motives. The detectives must now figure out how to navigate their way through their questioning to find out who killed Matthew Dunn.
WRITING:
This first issue really sets up where this story will be going as well as the feel for IDW Crime books to come. Zoe Tunnell has crafted an insanely good start to a murder mystery with this first issue. The way Tunnell introduces the reader to this religious fundamentalist family not only lets the reader into this world but also creates motive for 8 characters instantly. The questioning by the detectives feels true to life and puts the reader right in the middle of the investigation. As the story unravels even here in the first issue, the reader knows that this story will have many twists and turns. Not to mention the shocking ending of the issue will surely have readers clamoring for more.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this first issue looks great and captures the essence of the story perfectly. The art team did an amazing job with the character designs and the setting of the story. They make you feel like you are on a religious compound in Arizona and that gives the book a claustrophobic feel, which helps with setting the tone of the issue and story. The color choices really bring out the mood of the story, especially the choice to use shades of red for the flashback scenes. Overall, the artwork makes the story much more intriguing and adds to the whodunit atmosphere the story is creating.
Final Thoughts:
Seven Wives #1 is an awesome kickoff to this series and new imprint. The true crime mystery style really brings you in and keeps you engaged in the story, as well as makes you want more. The surprise turns and shocking reveals will really have people talking at the shops for sure. Make sure to get down to your Local Comic Shop or your preferred online store before Monday April 13th and order your copy, so you don’t miss out on this first series from this new imprint.
FINAL GRADE: 9.5/10
Let me know your thoughts on Seven Wives #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
