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The Plot #1-4
The Plot: Part One
IN ORDER TO RECEIVE, FIRST YOU MUST GIVE.
When Chase Blaine's estranged brother and sister-in-law are murdered, he becomes guardian to McKenzie and Zach, the niece and nephew he hardly knows. Seeking stability for the children, Chase moves his newly formed family to his ancestral home in Cape Augusta - which overlooks a deep, black bogland teeming with family secrets.
When Chase Blaine's estranged brother and sister-in-law are murdered, he becomes guardian to McKenzie and Zach, the niece and nephew he hardly knows. Seeking stability for the children, Chase moves his newly formed family to his ancestral home in Cape Augusta - which overlooks a deep, black bogland teeming with family secrets.
136 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
May 11, 2020
These Vault horror comics are pretty solid. A husband and wife are killed on his 40th birthday by a creature leaving their children to be raised by his brother. They return to their ancestral home where weird things happen and ghosts lurk in the shadows. The first half of this story more alludes to ominous past events than show us what they were. Hopefully part two will give more answers. I'm interested but too much has been teased so far without any payoff. The art has a solid 50's horror comic vibe to it in the vein of Eerie or House of Secrets
March 24, 2020
The Plot is the next big horror comic!
Actually, horror comics in general have been rocking lately. If haven't seen it yet, check out my review on Something Is Killing the Children and Sink, both highly recommended horror comics that recently came out.
So the Plot has a interesting enough set up. A husband and wife celebrate their big success one night and when they get home are assaulted by a monster. Soon after their children go to live with their uncle, but the creatures that haunted the parents don't stop. They want, they need, you must give to receive. And so when we go into this backwoods type town we have characters like Chase (The uncle) his niece and nephew, Reese, and more. Building a family drama on some spooky haunted Gothic type horror.
Overall, this was pretty great. The strongest part of it all is the dialogue, which is so human, I thought I was watching a TV show or movie at points. The art is also fantastic, showcasing emotions on multiple characters, creepy as hell monsters, and excellent atmosphere. The story itself is well paced and even with some huge cliches, and a ending that is more "COME ON!", it's very much worth reading.
A 4.5 out of 5.
Actually, horror comics in general have been rocking lately. If haven't seen it yet, check out my review on Something Is Killing the Children and Sink, both highly recommended horror comics that recently came out.
So the Plot has a interesting enough set up. A husband and wife celebrate their big success one night and when they get home are assaulted by a monster. Soon after their children go to live with their uncle, but the creatures that haunted the parents don't stop. They want, they need, you must give to receive. And so when we go into this backwoods type town we have characters like Chase (The uncle) his niece and nephew, Reese, and more. Building a family drama on some spooky haunted Gothic type horror.
Overall, this was pretty great. The strongest part of it all is the dialogue, which is so human, I thought I was watching a TV show or movie at points. The art is also fantastic, showcasing emotions on multiple characters, creepy as hell monsters, and excellent atmosphere. The story itself is well paced and even with some huge cliches, and a ending that is more "COME ON!", it's very much worth reading.
A 4.5 out of 5.
July 28, 2020
The Plot is a horror comic book written by Michael Moreci and Tim Daniel, illustrated by Josh Hixson. This is Part 1, collecting 4 chapters / issues.
I was also privileged to received an advance copy of issue 5.
In short, this book is an absolute masterwork. I will keep promoting it forever.
The vibe is intense and so perfectly rendered. The creators nailed the atmosphere, using writing, drawing, lettering and coloring in a very cohesive way.
The story revolves around mental illness through generations, a kind of a haunted house, and a dark mystery from the past that is not revealed by the end of Volume 1. Lots of conflict, angry exchanges, but also slowly simmering and often silent scenes that I found to be the best feature of this book.
Those intimate moments are the ones that really get under your skin, because they are so normal and relatable.
And the art is absolutely phenomenal, luckily without a hint of cutesy-lines, and with dirty enough lines for the feel of authenticity. I never like comics when lines are too clear and photograph-like. Especially when reading a dark story.
Horror comes in many flavors. The smartest kind is literary horror, which tends to be Lovecraftian and psychological horror. Lovecraftian horror emphasizes the cosmic fear of the unknown (or unknowable) more than gore or other elements of shock, while psychological horror relies on mental, emotional, and psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle its audience. This book does both in a very clever way - forget about horror books with gore every other page or trying the "cheap shock": the Plot is ALL about the gradual, relentless build-up of dread. I followed the events, and many seem like very normal events, but before I could realize it, I found myself with a deep disquiet in my guts. That's because real horror, when it's cleverly done like this, is about the atmosphere and, ultimately, about yourself - ourselves and our fears - rather than "the monster" or "the external problem".
Narratively, everything on the pages is clear: I don't mean the details of the story, which get unveiled bit by bit, I mean everything that’s taking place in each panel, who is who, and what they are doing. It may sound banal, but I still read many popular books where even reading and re-reading the same page still leaves you confused.
This is a masterwork. Genuinely, the best you can do with the medium.
So all in all I’m giving it 5 stars. To be read and re-read. The story will conclude with part II. I so look forward to it.
I was also privileged to received an advance copy of issue 5.
In short, this book is an absolute masterwork. I will keep promoting it forever.
The vibe is intense and so perfectly rendered. The creators nailed the atmosphere, using writing, drawing, lettering and coloring in a very cohesive way.
The story revolves around mental illness through generations, a kind of a haunted house, and a dark mystery from the past that is not revealed by the end of Volume 1. Lots of conflict, angry exchanges, but also slowly simmering and often silent scenes that I found to be the best feature of this book.
Those intimate moments are the ones that really get under your skin, because they are so normal and relatable.
And the art is absolutely phenomenal, luckily without a hint of cutesy-lines, and with dirty enough lines for the feel of authenticity. I never like comics when lines are too clear and photograph-like. Especially when reading a dark story.
Horror comes in many flavors. The smartest kind is literary horror, which tends to be Lovecraftian and psychological horror. Lovecraftian horror emphasizes the cosmic fear of the unknown (or unknowable) more than gore or other elements of shock, while psychological horror relies on mental, emotional, and psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle its audience. This book does both in a very clever way - forget about horror books with gore every other page or trying the "cheap shock": the Plot is ALL about the gradual, relentless build-up of dread. I followed the events, and many seem like very normal events, but before I could realize it, I found myself with a deep disquiet in my guts. That's because real horror, when it's cleverly done like this, is about the atmosphere and, ultimately, about yourself - ourselves and our fears - rather than "the monster" or "the external problem".
Narratively, everything on the pages is clear: I don't mean the details of the story, which get unveiled bit by bit, I mean everything that’s taking place in each panel, who is who, and what they are doing. It may sound banal, but I still read many popular books where even reading and re-reading the same page still leaves you confused.
This is a masterwork. Genuinely, the best you can do with the medium.
So all in all I’m giving it 5 stars. To be read and re-read. The story will conclude with part II. I so look forward to it.
March 22, 2020
Very good horror comic. It has a weird creepy vibe. Not sure why but I get House on haunted hill/locke and key vibes
October 15, 2022
A constant tug of war between being interested and being bored. Had to push myself a bit to finish it. The art is good.
November 22, 2021
In order to receive.. first you must give.
If you are looking for great storytelling, horror stuff, and stunning artwork, The Plot is a great choice. I was looking forward to this since they announced it, mostly because of Joshua Hixson's artwork which I love since the first moment I saw it in his early works. And it really looks amazing in this one! Plus, the plot of The Plot (hehe) also surprised me, very nicely! So if you like secrets in families, bog monsters, and an amazing scary atmosphere, go for it.
If you are looking for great storytelling, horror stuff, and stunning artwork, The Plot is a great choice. I was looking forward to this since they announced it, mostly because of Joshua Hixson's artwork which I love since the first moment I saw it in his early works. And it really looks amazing in this one! Plus, the plot of The Plot (hehe) also surprised me, very nicely! So if you like secrets in families, bog monsters, and an amazing scary atmosphere, go for it.
October 13, 2022
Somewhere between 3.25 and 3.5 stars. So we have a husband, wife and two kids. Both husband and wife suffer a brutal death and the kids go to live with the brother, Chase. They move back home to the old family estate but this house is haunted. Seems like they haven’t revealed what the……”Plot” actually is yet. There has just been some weird creepy shit happening. Seems like there is some kind of curse or bad legacy attached to this Blaine family. A lot of teasing of what will eventually be revealed. The art simple yet effective and they do some things with the colors that add to the creepy elements in this book. We’ll see if this comes to a satisfying conclusion ending with the next volume.
March 4, 2020
Written by Tim Daniel & Michael Moreci – both of whom have co-authored other horror comics – and drawn by Joshua Hixson, The Plot centers on Chase Blaine, who receives the tragic news of his estranged brother sister-in-law’s murder. Becoming the guardian to McKenzie and Zach, the niece and nephew he hardly knows, Chase moves them to his ancestral home in Cape Augusta, which overlooks a deep, black bogland teeming with family secrets.
Please click here for my full review.
Please click here for my full review.
July 2, 2020
A Lovecraftian horror story. The action moves at a steady pace, but the plotting is a bit slow in this first volume. Lots of gory, spooky thrills to be found as long as you're ok with being confused about what is going on.
September 25, 2020
I don’t read graphic novels or comics daily but one here or there is a nice change from my normal books. This graphic novel follows the normal horror tropes. Two kids are orphaned and forced to live with their estranged uncle in an old gothic type mansion that’s right next to a spooky bog. They family is famous in town for their well kept secrets and trouble.
“𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚. 𝙄 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩? 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙪𝙨.”
I loved the gothic atmosphere and small town troubled past. It made it deeper than just a surface level story with pictures. I also enjoyed the connection between the characters but it did seem kinda quick for them to have maybe meet only a few times in their lives. Maybe that’s just a graphic novel kinda thing. I don’t know but I was okay with it. Another thing I loved was the secrets and twists, definitely makes me want to read more into this series. Lastly, the art is hauntingly beautiful. I did include some of the art work for the next covers from the back and I want them!!! I gave this 4 ⭐️.
Thank you @michaelmoreci for sending this copy for review consideration!
“𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚. 𝙄 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩? 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙪𝙨.”
I loved the gothic atmosphere and small town troubled past. It made it deeper than just a surface level story with pictures. I also enjoyed the connection between the characters but it did seem kinda quick for them to have maybe meet only a few times in their lives. Maybe that’s just a graphic novel kinda thing. I don’t know but I was okay with it. Another thing I loved was the secrets and twists, definitely makes me want to read more into this series. Lastly, the art is hauntingly beautiful. I did include some of the art work for the next covers from the back and I want them!!! I gave this 4 ⭐️.
Thank you @michaelmoreci for sending this copy for review consideration!
January 29, 2021
Read as individual issues.
There's been an influx of horror comics in the last few years (Spread, Caliban, Autumnal, Ice Creaam Man, The Plunge, Something is Killing the Children, etc.) Horror has even made it's way back into the Big 2, with "Immortal Hulk", a "Werewolf by Night" revival, and others!
But "The Plot" stands out as horror done right! Published by Vault comics (an upstart company who have put out some seriously excellent titles in the last few years!), this is a slow-burn horror series, using the classic "Haunted House" template.
This first volume is (as is expected) largely a set-up volume, doling out more questions than answers, and setting us for the drama, mystery and horror to come, but it does that set-up exceedingly well.
My only complaint would be the sporadic release schedule; as I write this Issue 7 has been out for some time (since November 25th 2020), with Issue 8 now scheduled for April 22, 2020. (Yes, I know there a worldwide pandemic, and this is a minor complaint in the scheme of things, but it speaks to the quality of the series that I'm so eagerly awaiting the next issue!)
There's been an influx of horror comics in the last few years (Spread, Caliban, Autumnal, Ice Creaam Man, The Plunge, Something is Killing the Children, etc.) Horror has even made it's way back into the Big 2, with "Immortal Hulk", a "Werewolf by Night" revival, and others!
But "The Plot" stands out as horror done right! Published by Vault comics (an upstart company who have put out some seriously excellent titles in the last few years!), this is a slow-burn horror series, using the classic "Haunted House" template.
This first volume is (as is expected) largely a set-up volume, doling out more questions than answers, and setting us for the drama, mystery and horror to come, but it does that set-up exceedingly well.
My only complaint would be the sporadic release schedule; as I write this Issue 7 has been out for some time (since November 25th 2020), with Issue 8 now scheduled for April 22, 2020. (Yes, I know there a worldwide pandemic, and this is a minor complaint in the scheme of things, but it speaks to the quality of the series that I'm so eagerly awaiting the next issue!)
September 19, 2023
The Plot Part One collects issues 1-4 of the Vault Comics series written by Tim Daniel and Michael Moreci with art by Joshua Hixson.
When a loving couple are murdered, their surviving children move in with their uncle to their ancestral home. Deep family secrets haunt the house and surrounding bog lands as the family tries to cope with their newly found lives.
This book has a very creepy atmosphere that reminds me a lot of Mike Flanagan’s Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor where as the family secrets and mysterious deaths remind me of Joe Hill’s Lock & Key. But The Plot is still its own story. This first half is a lot of the family getting settled into their new lives with scary and mysterious things happening to and around them. We get a lot of teases of the family’s dark history but hopefully we get satisfactory answers in the final half of the story.
When a loving couple are murdered, their surviving children move in with their uncle to their ancestral home. Deep family secrets haunt the house and surrounding bog lands as the family tries to cope with their newly found lives.
This book has a very creepy atmosphere that reminds me a lot of Mike Flanagan’s Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor where as the family secrets and mysterious deaths remind me of Joe Hill’s Lock & Key. But The Plot is still its own story. This first half is a lot of the family getting settled into their new lives with scary and mysterious things happening to and around them. We get a lot of teases of the family’s dark history but hopefully we get satisfactory answers in the final half of the story.
August 9, 2020
Recently orphaned children, unstable caretaker/uncle, ancestral mansion-like home, swampy ghouls, past secrets, family curses/generational mental illness, and more?! SIGN ME UP! The Plot is a fantastic horror graphic novel by Tim Daniel and Michael Moreci with totally rad drawings and coloring by Joshua Hixson and Jordan Boyd topped off with lettering by Jim Campbell. I was hooked from the first few pages and stayed engaged the entire time. Part One is setting us up for an epic conclusion by giving us characters we care about and enough history and atmospheric vibes to keep us shrouded in a little mystery. There are some solid creepy scenes throughout and I am extremely antsy and interested in Part Two being released so I can see how everything culminates. I want to know all the answers to the many questions we have been teased with thus far. And most importantly, I want to know what the family motto TRULY means and how it pieces together all the horror that has befallen this family: "In order to receive... first you must give." 5 stars!
July 23, 2020
Ominous and unsettling this story of a cursed family is compelling, but leaves the readers full of questions. When a successful businessman and his wife are killed by a weird swamp creature, the man's estranged brother becomes caretakers for the two children he left behind while the police investigate to figure out what happened. Chase doesn't want to take them back to his stuffy studio and he doesn't want to stay in the house where they were murdered so he takes the kids to Maine, where the old family home is. Right off the bat weird stuff starts happening and the head of the police department is not happy to see Chase, accusing his family of always being trouble. Visions and monsters lurk around every corner. What is going on with the house and the surrounding bog and does it have anything to do with the death of his brother. The artwork is great but I have a lot of questions, I guess, I'll have to wait for part two to come out!
May 17, 2020
Apparently I've finished this. Not sure what the supposed 160 pages of the TPB include, but the four issues I've read, so far published, comprise this book, and there's no way they're 40 pages each. Oh well, no matter.
This is atmospheric stuff, mixing modern horror and strong characterisation into classic themes. For four issues, it's mostly been background and build-up, so I hope something kicks off soon. The writer's a little too in love with his dialogue, and the artist (strong on tension and - again - atmosphere) handles segues into flashbacks and scene changes clumsily, and some characters - especially the women - could stand some differentiation.
(Read as single issues.)
This is atmospheric stuff, mixing modern horror and strong characterisation into classic themes. For four issues, it's mostly been background and build-up, so I hope something kicks off soon. The writer's a little too in love with his dialogue, and the artist (strong on tension and - again - atmosphere) handles segues into flashbacks and scene changes clumsily, and some characters - especially the women - could stand some differentiation.
(Read as single issues.)
June 11, 2024
Decent art. Story isn't particularly compelling so far but I'll continue on to part two and see where things go.
June 12, 2020
after their parents are killed, two kids must go with their uncle to live in their family's crusty old mansion estate that has monsters in the bog and dead people in the walls. this was SO GOOD and the art was GORGEOUS hideous horror comic art, can't wait for part 2. 5/5.
September 1, 2020
I LOVED this! It has all the stuff I wanted: a shocking and brutal opening, a cast of developed and sympathetic characters, an ancestral home overlooking a dangerous bog land, an ancient family trauma/curse that plagues future generations, and a whole mess of ghosts and creeps
I loved the motif of how the past (ghosts, memories, trauma, etc) is restless, cyclical, and always trying to pull you back. The art is bold and beautiful (swipe to see some poorly photographed examples), and this is a great example of text and images working together, creating a cycle of building suspense and shocking release. Lots of Hill House, Harrow County, Conjuring, and American Horror Story vibes. And like I said earlier, lots of creepy moments (though the beast at the center of it all is absolutely terrifying)
I loved the motif of how the past (ghosts, memories, trauma, etc) is restless, cyclical, and always trying to pull you back. The art is bold and beautiful (swipe to see some poorly photographed examples), and this is a great example of text and images working together, creating a cycle of building suspense and shocking release. Lots of Hill House, Harrow County, Conjuring, and American Horror Story vibes. And like I said earlier, lots of creepy moments (though the beast at the center of it all is absolutely terrifying)
February 6, 2021
As a previous fan of Josh Hixson's art, (He is also the talented artist behind Kannibalen Records' breathtaking album covers) I knew I had to check out The Plot. I am glad I did, as a fan of horror, I feel there aren't much comic books in this genre. But The Plot had everything: memorable characters, a spooky yet beautiful setting and a lot of emotional weight.
Chase, Zach and Mackenzie have a lot of personality to them. They each have their own demons to fight. Although not much is explained about the actual mystery of the Blaine family in this issue, I feel like all that will be explained in the next part. I feel like the writers dedicated this one to keeping the mystery and let the readers make their own theories.
I think this comic will grow in popularity in the future. I cannot wait for part two so I can see how the story concludes and keep enjoying Josh's beautiful art style.
Chase, Zach and Mackenzie have a lot of personality to them. They each have their own demons to fight. Although not much is explained about the actual mystery of the Blaine family in this issue, I feel like all that will be explained in the next part. I feel like the writers dedicated this one to keeping the mystery and let the readers make their own theories.
I think this comic will grow in popularity in the future. I cannot wait for part two so I can see how the story concludes and keep enjoying Josh's beautiful art style.
January 31, 2021
The Plot feels like a retread of every haunted house story. Shades of Locke & Key definitely, but without the fun magic keys. It's still an intriguing book, with bog monsters causing havoc near a spooky old house full of mysteries. It just never strikes a memorable chord.
Uncle Chase takes care of his brother's kids after the brother dies a mysterious, monstrous death. The kids are fairly haunted, as is Chase's familial home and teacher buddy, Reese. Everyone seems to encounter monsters and drowning deaths on a daily basis, but there's not an overwhelming urge to figure out what's going on. The Plot feels both truncated and rambling - it never quite explains its point, but plenty seems to be happening. Josh Hixson's dark art is well suited to a horror tale, though.
Uncle Chase takes care of his brother's kids after the brother dies a mysterious, monstrous death. The kids are fairly haunted, as is Chase's familial home and teacher buddy, Reese. Everyone seems to encounter monsters and drowning deaths on a daily basis, but there's not an overwhelming urge to figure out what's going on. The Plot feels both truncated and rambling - it never quite explains its point, but plenty seems to be happening. Josh Hixson's dark art is well suited to a horror tale, though.
October 28, 2023
Fairly standard horror story, though the art has its moments. My only other notes are that it shouldn't have been split into two parts, and while I understand that comics are expensive to make, charging almost twenty dollars for four issues that encompass half a miniseries and don't even form their own self-contained arc would be highway robbery even if the series was good.
November 25, 2020
A well-made book with some genre elements/tropes used to good effect.
My desire for creepy stuff was satisfied.
The dog is my favorite character.
The art isn't too wild but it does it for me, whatever it is, and I like the color palette. The creepy scenes and shadowy bits seem to nail it.
My desire for creepy stuff was satisfied.
The dog is my favorite character.
The art isn't too wild but it does it for me, whatever it is, and I like the color palette. The creepy scenes and shadowy bits seem to nail it.
February 3, 2021
Never got invested in this story. For one main reason - it felt too repetitive. It was almost a "Haunting of Bly Manor" remake. The writing never got me invested enough in those characters and the art was, unfortunately, forgettable.
April 19, 2020
Pretty standard with solid art.
October 9, 2020
The Plot is a classic horror story. It has a strong sense of impending dread, leaning into the eldritch horror of Lovecraft or the scary end of Stephen King. There's a good family mystery to unravel and some great moments.
But...
It moves at a very deliberate pace. After the initial setup to get the kids with Chase Blaine to the ancestral home in Cape Augusta, the story slows to a crawl. There are a lot of questions raised that need to get resolved in the second half. And while the story is written and illustrated with a lot of skill and craft, it doesn't feel overly different from any number of horror stories involving a family returning to an ancestral home and uncovering a dark history. Hopefully the answers to these mysteries will make the book more unique. So part two will likely wind up with a higher rating.
I do like the Swamp Thing vibe of the creatures stalking the Blaine family. That really gives it a classic horror comic book atmosphere. It also fits nicely with the water motif. But, again, doesn't feel new, just well crafted.
There's nothing wrong with a good version of a tried and true story. I much prefer this tale than the previous Vault Comics horror title, Cult Classic: Creature Feature. But so far it's missing that extra something to push it over the edge, like Black Stars Above.
But...
It moves at a very deliberate pace. After the initial setup to get the kids with Chase Blaine to the ancestral home in Cape Augusta, the story slows to a crawl. There are a lot of questions raised that need to get resolved in the second half. And while the story is written and illustrated with a lot of skill and craft, it doesn't feel overly different from any number of horror stories involving a family returning to an ancestral home and uncovering a dark history. Hopefully the answers to these mysteries will make the book more unique. So part two will likely wind up with a higher rating.
I do like the Swamp Thing vibe of the creatures stalking the Blaine family. That really gives it a classic horror comic book atmosphere. It also fits nicely with the water motif. But, again, doesn't feel new, just well crafted.
There's nothing wrong with a good version of a tried and true story. I much prefer this tale than the previous Vault Comics horror title, Cult Classic: Creature Feature. But so far it's missing that extra something to push it over the edge, like Black Stars Above.
August 30, 2020
This is a fantastic horror graphic novel. It's got a creepy ancestral home, supernatural bog weirdness, an interesting mix of characters, and excellent art.
This tale follows Chase Blaine, who takes on his brother's two young children after a strange and sudden accident leads to the death of their parents. He isn't the most prepared guardian, but is fiercely dedicated to taking the best care of these kids. They all arrive at the home where Chase grew up, but there is something wrong with this place, and it isn't just the fact that Chase ran away and never confronted his childhood issues.
I was completely pulled in by the mystery of the story and I loved the water imagery. It is obvious that supernatural things are happening, but the story drips out the horror slowly so you just have to keep reading!
Also the cover art is ON FIRE. When are we getting part two??
This tale follows Chase Blaine, who takes on his brother's two young children after a strange and sudden accident leads to the death of their parents. He isn't the most prepared guardian, but is fiercely dedicated to taking the best care of these kids. They all arrive at the home where Chase grew up, but there is something wrong with this place, and it isn't just the fact that Chase ran away and never confronted his childhood issues.
I was completely pulled in by the mystery of the story and I loved the water imagery. It is obvious that supernatural things are happening, but the story drips out the horror slowly so you just have to keep reading!
Also the cover art is ON FIRE. When are we getting part two??
December 28, 2022
I read volumes one and two back to back, and I don't really see any reason it was split into two volumes (or eight episodes). It would read better as one, I think. So, I'm just going to treat it that way and write one review. I really liked the art and the color palette. The whole thing had a 1950s, Swamp Thing vibe going on. I liked the plotline with the disaffected, prodigal son trying to pull it together for the children he finds himself responsible. The whole importance of family theme is endearing.
Unfortunately, the whole thing lost me about halfway through volume two, when I just wasn't entirely sure what was happening and how the monster was defeated...if the monster was defeated. So, all-in-all, only an OK read.
Unfortunately, the whole thing lost me about halfway through volume two, when I just wasn't entirely sure what was happening and how the monster was defeated...if the monster was defeated. So, all-in-all, only an OK read.
April 23, 2022
This first volume is underwhelming given the series’s strong reputation, but not bad. The cover art is great and the internal art is creepy and generally appealing, but also rough in a way that doesn’t feel like an intentional aesthetic choice as much as it does mildly sloppy. The haunted bloodline horror story drops a lot of unsettling hints and there’s mysteriously eery moments in the margins, but so far it’s way too much tease and not nearly enough substance for a story that half over. I’m interested in seeing how the back half concludes, but I hope vol2 quickly evolves past merely teasing its story.
November 27, 2023
Not my kind of horror. Just a standard supernatural horror, mixing some tropes of gothic horror, haunted house, creature feature, and either a Faustian deal or revenge from beyond the grave.
A slacker is tasked with caring for the kids of his high-achieving brother after the brother and his wife are murdered by a swamp-thing lookalike. Hi jinx ensue, with visions that might be real, or attacks that might not, as we try and guess who the creature is and determine the motives.
I didn’t care for the premise, execution, characters, or art style. Not awful, but it wouldn’t have been innovative even 100 years ago.
A slacker is tasked with caring for the kids of his high-achieving brother after the brother and his wife are murdered by a swamp-thing lookalike. Hi jinx ensue, with visions that might be real, or attacks that might not, as we try and guess who the creature is and determine the motives.
I didn’t care for the premise, execution, characters, or art style. Not awful, but it wouldn’t have been innovative even 100 years ago.
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