IDW Publishing 2016
Written, Illustrated & Lettered by Bo Hampton
Coloured by Jeremy Mohler
I’m fascinated by this book. There’s this whole thing about it that reaches out to so many people in different ways. I mean first it takes place in 1873, Utah and it’s already a volatile time in American History as immigrants and slaves alike are some of the most untrusted people in the new world. Granted i’m waiting for the American Indian’s to make an appearance but even if that doesn’t happen i’m not worried. What I really liked about this is how the book opens with this Gypsy family on the road as they encounter someone else from the homeland.
The writing is really strong and the characterization is exceptional. Right off the bat we treated to seeing just how much the land of opportunity this new world really is. From the title alone you know this will deal with supernatural forces and it does but not exactly in the ways I was expecting. That kind of surprise is fantastic as it sets the stage for the rest of the story. Now i’m hopeful but not expectant of what’s to come and it’s that kind of stuff that hooks the reader in and keeps them coming back.
Young Tara is a great character. With what she’s seen and been through in this one issue it’s more than surprising she’s come out of it as well as she has. I had initially thought this would go a completely different way after the intro but I’m rather pleased that it didn’t. I do think however that we get to see one of the players in the stage of this drama who is going to surprise us all.
When Tara meets her savior and we get to see how the two settle into a nice little routine. This is something of an awkward friendship between a mysterious black man and a little gypsy girl. There are plenty of secrets being kept by characters and some we see and some are still secret but what we see when the pair go off to town was a great moment to deepen the mystery and unveil even more of what this world has to offer. Suddenly there’s so much happening here that you really have been drawn in and immersed in just a portion of what is available.
It’s definitely an intriguing world and the mix of characters, dialogue and situations have made this unique and exciting. I’m hopeful to see what Bo has in store next.
When a writer is also an artist and is able to wholly bring his vision to life the way Bo has done should be respected and admired. We get to see exactly what Bo has envisioned and everything we see is there for a reason. This helps make the story more impactful. Also he’s pretty darn talented all the way around and it shines through on each page. This is something different and unique that will thrill and entertain.