Trespasser #4
Alterna Comics 2017
Written by Justin M. Ryan
Illustrated by Kristian Rossi
Lettered by DC Hopkins
This is an emotional roller coaster of a story. Yes it does reach into the darker realm of things that we tend to fear with very little hope of light in sight. But then again this wouldn’t be such a wonderful story if it hadn’t gone there. A house secluded in the woods where a man and his daughter dwell. A house they have refused to leave when the aliens came to earth so they toughed it out until the father did something who’s repercussions were nothing like what could have been expected.
That Justin has been able to tap into such a primal fear that we have, the seclusion and isolation and not being able to fight back against an unseen force this is something the kind of story that we would pay money to see in a theatre. I do like that we we see the range of emotion with this and the contrition that he feels at having his daughter cursed as he was. Then to do what he thought impossible well it just feels right.
The way the book is structured is extremely well done. The ebb & flow leaves a wonderful mark upon the reader. As we see the characters going through what we think are the last of the motions here the time for reflection and growth as well as find a reasonable and plausible way to conclude the story. I cannot give away the ending though I’d terribly like to. That would be unfair so I will continue to say of how this unfolds as it pertains to my experience.
I am pretty impressed with how intense Justin is able to keep this story. Not only intense but also very much in that whole frightening, creepy and terrifying way when one thinks they are to die. it’s got all this great tension and suspense to it that you can actually feel in your bones. The way this is translated to the page is exceptionally well done and I love that feeling of creepiness and the want to look over your shoulder. The last time I was reading something did that to me was Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour so Justin is in very acclaimed company.
When they say that less is more and you don’t quite believe it then look at the interiors here. The darkness, the use of blacks and all around is impactful in all the right ways. It also means that sometime backgrounds aren’t needed or needed to be as detailed as I usually call for. There are some small details that stand out in this and I really appreciate those alongside Kristian’s handling of angles and perspective which alongside the utilisation of page layouts show a strong eye for storytelling.
This is a true throwback as Alterna publishes their books on newsprint paper and the artwork and the story itself all conspire to have that effortless throwback feel to it. That and it is a great example of what I’ve talked about time and again, small press companies not only need but deserve your support. There’s a plethora of fine stories being told today and some of the better ones don’t come from names you recognise.
Trespasser is a story of anger, solace, fear and attrition and all of has a very palpable feel. This will touch you in ways you may not expect. Good storytelling is like a drug and you want it and crave more of it and honestly that’s what this story has done to me. I want more from this creative team and I want to see it from Alterna.
Alterna Comics 2017
Written by Justin M. Ryan
Illustrated by Kristian Rossi
Lettered by DC Hopkins
This is an emotional roller coaster of a story. Yes it does reach into the darker realm of things that we tend to fear with very little hope of light in sight. But then again this wouldn’t be such a wonderful story if it hadn’t gone there. A house secluded in the woods where a man and his daughter dwell. A house they have refused to leave when the aliens came to earth so they toughed it out until the father did something who’s repercussions were nothing like what could have been expected.
That Justin has been able to tap into such a primal fear that we have, the seclusion and isolation and not being able to fight back against an unseen force this is something the kind of story that we would pay money to see in a theatre. I do like that we we see the range of emotion with this and the contrition that he feels at having his daughter cursed as he was. Then to do what he thought impossible well it just feels right.
The way the book is structured is extremely well done. The ebb & flow leaves a wonderful mark upon the reader. As we see the characters going through what we think are the last of the motions here the time for reflection and growth as well as find a reasonable and plausible way to conclude the story. I cannot give away the ending though I’d terribly like to. That would be unfair so I will continue to say of how this unfolds as it pertains to my experience.
I am pretty impressed with how intense Justin is able to keep this story. Not only intense but also very much in that whole frightening, creepy and terrifying way when one thinks they are to die. it’s got all this great tension and suspense to it that you can actually feel in your bones. The way this is translated to the page is exceptionally well done and I love that feeling of creepiness and the want to look over your shoulder. The last time I was reading something did that to me was Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour so Justin is in very acclaimed company.
When they say that less is more and you don’t quite believe it then look at the interiors here. The darkness, the use of blacks and all around is impactful in all the right ways. It also means that sometime backgrounds aren’t needed or needed to be as detailed as I usually call for. There are some small details that stand out in this and I really appreciate those alongside Kristian’s handling of angles and perspective which alongside the utilisation of page layouts show a strong eye for storytelling.
This is a true throwback as Alterna publishes their books on newsprint paper and the artwork and the story itself all conspire to have that effortless throwback feel to it. That and it is a great example of what I’ve talked about time and again, small press companies not only need but deserve your support. There’s a plethora of fine stories being told today and some of the better ones don’t come from names you recognise.
Trespasser is a story of anger, solace, fear and attrition and all of has a very palpable feel. This will touch you in ways you may not expect. Good storytelling is like a drug and you want it and crave more of it and honestly that’s what this story has done to me. I want more from this creative team and I want to see it from Alterna.
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