Source Point Press 2019
Created & Written by Madeleine Holly-Rosing
Illustrated by Emily Hu
Coloured by Gloria Caelie & Fahriza Kamaputra
Lettered by Troy Peteri
This second issue in the 6-issue mini-series continues the story of Samuel Hunter, Caitlin O'Sullivan and Granville Woods as they battle supernatural forces in late 1800s Boston. Harry Houdini brings Hunter to a secret group of some of the greatest minds of the century, where they are studying the supernatural entity known as "The Shifter". But elsewhere, something is murdering people in the streets! Can the Boston Metaphysical Society stop the slaughter?
This makes me happy, happy that Source Point Press found this and picked it up to take from a web comic and into a physical one as well for the creators who did this in the first place. I am a huge alternate history fan and when you throw these members of B.E.T.H. together, add in the supernatural with the science and go that step further with Samuel and his team you create something new, original and full of verve. Seeing this, the title alone, is coming out makes me excited because it's something that is too good to miss and the feelings and emotions you get as a reader are immeasurable.
The opening here is perfectly done. It has the perfect anonymity behind who or what is behind the deed we see. It evokes wonder, as in what is going on, and the desire to see and know more. The emotions and feelings that come off the page and enter the reader almost give you chills as the scene unfolds. This is how you do a one page opening with no narration or words and have that be more effective than you'll ever know.
I love the way that this story is being told as the story & plot development and the character development are tied so closely together. Attitude and arrogance alongside a very strong class conflict that is permeating this book and it's foil in Samuel and his belief in his team brings this dimension to the storytelling that that I find all too familiar and as original that we don't normally see. History is rife with the haves and the have nots and the struggle between them but the way that Madeleine is portraying it is simply dynamic. With the pacing always moving the story forward at the right rate is something to be admired as well.
Emily, Gloria and Fahriza do some beautiful work on the interiors here. I love the linework and how we see these almost delicate lines that form this gorgeous attention to detail. Samuels scar is consistent throughout and that attention the character is perfectly done, along with other simple things that stand out but at the same time are easy to overlook, the make this a pleasure to see visually. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a strong talented eye for storytelling. I like the colour work as well. From the faded look of those in the distance to the vibrancy of the colours up close are done so well that we get this great depth perception. The way that light sources are utilised to create the shading and shadows is beautifully done. The various hues and tones in the colours really do make people, objects and places come to life.
There is something about the way that we see the story and how each individual will connect with it and find things that are specific to them in the bonding process is amazingly well handled. As you become engaged in the story as gadgets and gizmo's are introduced and the mind goes off page and tries to realistically understand their technology you are past the point of being invested in the book. This is this wondrous utilisation of creativity and imagination all around this book in the writing and the interiors so that by the last page you want more.
This for me is like watching Taboo or the Alienist on television it as that sense and feel to it and I can't get enough to satisfy my curiosity.