Zenescope Entertainment 2016
Written by Joe Brusha
Illustrated by Allan Otero
Coloured by Fran Gamboa
Lettered by Matt Krotzer
When Sandra Ward returns to her childhood home in Blue Ash, Ohio, memories of her family’s brutal murders flood back to her and soon locals begin to disappear from the small town. First a young boy goes missing, then the sheriff’s deputy vanishes without a trace. An unspeakable evil has been awoken, and everything seems to lead back to one place… a place called Satan’s Hollow.
After the way last issue ended I was worried this was going to take a different route. I’m very pleased with this issue however and that it continues on the path that the story started on. There really is this whole sense of creepiness, dreams of darkness and ethereal quality to what’s happening that tunes of thousands of viewers to Haunted television shows and movies.
Right off the bat i’m thrilled with the interiors as Allan and Fran really do some incredibly detailed work here. The imagery is gorgeous in that is has the whole background and figures presented in such a way to really capture the mood perfectly. Throughout the book they manage to keep the sense of impending doom right there on the edge as if any moment it can burst through. The flow of the book through it’s pages and panels really work wonders in helping tell the story to be the best it can be.
Sandra’s dreams are connected to her childhood and Satan’s Hollow of that I’m almost certain. So seeing the horror of what’s happened while she dreams and she may not know it’s real real it’s very effective at how she goes about things when she wakes up. The characterization is so nice to see and her reticence and desire for the truth help me to see her as less a victim of circumstance and possibly a heroine of the story. We’ll see what happens but as a reader that’s what i’m seeing and that Joe is drawing me into the story this way is a wonderful thing.
I have to say when we see the denizens of Hell again it’s nice that the imagination and creativity is there and it’s less anything we’ve already seen. Granted it’s not my favourite part as i’d like to think the idea is scarier than the reality of a Hell existing but still it’s a good strong plot point for Joe. I would have gone the route of possession unseen and another cult style following pulling the strings which could have amped up the horror aspect as people doing this in the name of their dark lord for me personally is more terrifying.
The story progression here is fantastic. I like how we see the characters going about their business and learning, growing or acting out in new and unfamiliar ways. Of course with the police and the area in question things are being played close to the vest and that’s well within reason for me. I think seeing this happen a little more slowly instead of rushed adds the dramatic tension which enables the characterization to grow and evolve so that we can fully enjoy the changes we see occurring.
A nice all around solid issue of what is the new face of horror, intelligent thought provoking and subtle use things that go bump in the dark.