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Daphne Byrne #1-6
Daphne Byrne
When grieving, support can come in many ways. For Daphne, it came as a demon.
Turn-of-the-century New York is a growing metropolis for many, but not for Daphne Byrne. After her father's death, her mother is drawn to a spirtualistic group that claims to speak to the dead. Daphne sees through their act right away, but something from the other side sees her too. Or someone?
Daphne finds herself in new company, Brother. He offers support and encourages Daphne to stand up for herself...and to use the powers he has too.
Turn-of-the-century New York is a growing metropolis for many, but not for Daphne Byrne. After her father's death, her mother is drawn to a spirtualistic group that claims to speak to the dead. Daphne sees through their act right away, but something from the other side sees her too. Or someone?
Daphne finds herself in new company, Brother. He offers support and encourages Daphne to stand up for herself...and to use the powers he has too.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2020
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2115 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
October 19, 2024
Eh.
The story is passable at best, but the art tipped my reading experience right off the cliff. It's just ugly and badly drawn on almost every page. Daphne is supposed to be school-aged, but in the panel below she apparently morphs into a 50 year old woman because she's angry?
And the interior art was just made glaringly worse due to the beautifully creepy cover art.
Honestly, it was the cover that sucked me in to start with. <--never judge a book by its cover!
As far as the story goes, it ticked off almost every horror genre cliche out there.
A bullied kid with supernatural powers, a being who tempts them to use those powers for evil, a stupid parent who is unaware of what's happening to their child, a charlatan-y (or are they?!) medium, a creepy molester who pretends to be a friend, Satanic cult rituals performed by naked acolytes to produce the Devil's baby, and (of course) the obligatory scene where a girl gets her period.
It's not the worst thing I've ever read but it's nothing new. And it certainly wasn't helped by that sloppy artwork. If you're hard up for a horror comic OR you're a huge fan of Rosemary's Babyesque stories, then you might want to check this out.
The story is passable at best, but the art tipped my reading experience right off the cliff. It's just ugly and badly drawn on almost every page. Daphne is supposed to be school-aged, but in the panel below she apparently morphs into a 50 year old woman because she's angry?
And the interior art was just made glaringly worse due to the beautifully creepy cover art.
Honestly, it was the cover that sucked me in to start with. <--never judge a book by its cover!
As far as the story goes, it ticked off almost every horror genre cliche out there.
A bullied kid with supernatural powers, a being who tempts them to use those powers for evil, a stupid parent who is unaware of what's happening to their child, a charlatan-y (or are they?!) medium, a creepy molester who pretends to be a friend, Satanic cult rituals performed by naked acolytes to produce the Devil's baby, and (of course) the obligatory scene where a girl gets her period.
It's not the worst thing I've ever read but it's nothing new. And it certainly wasn't helped by that sloppy artwork. If you're hard up for a horror comic OR you're a huge fan of Rosemary's Babyesque stories, then you might want to check this out.
August 19, 2020
Set in New York in 1886 for no reason, young Daphne Byrne and her mother are mourning the recent death of her beloved dad - but no-good mediums is out to take advantage of their grief! And demons haunt Daphne too! You know Rosemary’s Baby? It’s that but worse.
So this is another Hill House stinker! I wasn’t entertained by any of it. Mediums are frauds?! Say it ain’t so! Except, weirdly, spirits and the afterlife here are real so mediums are charlatans not because they claim to tap into a realm that isn’t there, because that realm does exist in this book, but because they just don’t have the ability like Daphne does. Or maybe Daphne’s imagining it all…? Eh, I don’t care. And she’s not. And the sceptic character ain’t a great person either so both sides get stupidly blasted by Laura Marks.
Veteran artist Kelley Jones draws this one. He’s drawn everything from Batman to Sandman in a multi-decades-long career and you’re either a fan at this point or you’re not - his style isn’t going to change. I’ve never really dug Jones’ art and he’s definitely not doing his best work on this book. The horror is cliched and the character designs are inconsistent and ugly. Honestly, these are the oldest teenagers in the world - some of the girls look like middle-aged male bus drivers on a stag night.
There isn’t much else to say. The dull story ends on an overfamiliar horror trope and the whole thing is unimpressive and instantly forgettable. Horror’s a tough genre to get right as Laura Marks proves with her feeble Daphne Byrne.
So this is another Hill House stinker! I wasn’t entertained by any of it. Mediums are frauds?! Say it ain’t so! Except, weirdly, spirits and the afterlife here are real so mediums are charlatans not because they claim to tap into a realm that isn’t there, because that realm does exist in this book, but because they just don’t have the ability like Daphne does. Or maybe Daphne’s imagining it all…? Eh, I don’t care. And she’s not. And the sceptic character ain’t a great person either so both sides get stupidly blasted by Laura Marks.
Veteran artist Kelley Jones draws this one. He’s drawn everything from Batman to Sandman in a multi-decades-long career and you’re either a fan at this point or you’re not - his style isn’t going to change. I’ve never really dug Jones’ art and he’s definitely not doing his best work on this book. The horror is cliched and the character designs are inconsistent and ugly. Honestly, these are the oldest teenagers in the world - some of the girls look like middle-aged male bus drivers on a stag night.
There isn’t much else to say. The dull story ends on an overfamiliar horror trope and the whole thing is unimpressive and instantly forgettable. Horror’s a tough genre to get right as Laura Marks proves with her feeble Daphne Byrne.
August 12, 2020
A 19th century Rosemary's Baby combined with a possession story. The story didn't quite come together. However, Kelley Jones's art is made for this kind of story.
September 26, 2020
I knew this was going to be creepy cause I kept getting freaked out by the cover. And it was, but dang, it was also gory, gross, super violent, and a bit weird. Not a bad thing! I took a star off because it was slow for a hot second there when I started wondering where things were going.
The story itself was really more of a three star read, but the art was super good! Especially the pictures between each chapter. Stuff of nightmares really. The blood and violence was super intense at times and had me cringing and hissing through my teeth.
So I enjoyed it a lot, but I’m also into dark reads. I would only recommend this to those who don’t shy away from the darkest of books and pictures. There are no happy moments here. And some of these pictures are intense and scary. Don’t stare for too long or a bloody hand might reach out and grab you!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Hill House Comics for allowing me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.
The story itself was really more of a three star read, but the art was super good! Especially the pictures between each chapter. Stuff of nightmares really. The blood and violence was super intense at times and had me cringing and hissing through my teeth.
So I enjoyed it a lot, but I’m also into dark reads. I would only recommend this to those who don’t shy away from the darkest of books and pictures. There are no happy moments here. And some of these pictures are intense and scary. Don’t stare for too long or a bloody hand might reach out and grab you!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Hill House Comics for allowing me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.
November 13, 2020
this book was quite spooky.
When grieving, support can come in many ways. For Daphne Byrne, it came as a demon.
Turn-of-the-century New York is a growing metropolis for many, but not for Daphne Byrne. After her father's death, her mother is drawn to a spirtualistic group that claims to speak to the dead. Daphne sees through their act right away, but something from the other side sees her too. Or someone?
Daphne finds herself in new company, Brother. He offers support and encourages Daphne to stand up for herself...and to use the powers he has too.
Although the story was very sad, macabre, and horrifying, it was the art that really shook me. You can't tell by the cover as it isn't by the artist, but oh my word.
The artist not only has a gorgeous talent, she also knows' how to use it. The use of shadows, colors, and unsettling gore was very reminiscent of whoever illustrated the Coraline graphic novel.
On that note, this book felt like if Coraline and The Exorcism had a baby.
Overall, this book was beautifully horrifying. An ugly display of what grief can drive us to do and that sometimes the biggest comforts are the darkest demons.
Happy reading.
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November 21, 2020
A boring tale of a widow, Althea Byrne, who falls under the sway of a medium who claims to be talking to her dead husband, and her daughter, Daphne, who wants to debunk the psychic while she herself is having supernatural visitations. I was hoping it would trip over into being laughably bad when all the Satanists showed up, but it couldn't even manage to do that. Absolute and utter meh.
February 9, 2021
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
Death is terrifying. It can catch you off guard and take away from your life someone close and dear when you least expect it. But how does one deal with the pain that accompanies such a life-staggering event? While reason invites us to become one with our emotions and embrace the future with hope and optimism, some require answers that only the spiritual realm might be able to give them. But what it might have to give might cost more than just their own sanity. The penultimate installment in the Hill House Comics, collecting all six issues of this mini-series, now goes to writer Laura Marks and artist Kelley Jones who seek to deliver a story of grief, mediums, and mental isolation.
What is Daphne Byrne about? The story follows the young and odd Daphne Byrne in her time of grief as her father meets a sudden death. While her mother is off trying to find ways to reconnect with her dead husband, she finds herself dealing with her own set of spiritual problems as a strange being reaches out to her and lures her into a mischievous relationship. As she tries to elucidate this phenomenon that has taken possession of her reality, while also trying to stop her mother from falling into a trap in her search for comfort, she discovers that she might actually have powers that have far more repercussions on her life than she ever would’ve thought.
It is a bit disheartening to see this graphic novel filled with exterior and interior cover art masterpieces by Piotr Jabłoński only for the actual content to ruin it all instantly. This story focuses on the fourteen-year-old Daphne Byrne and her sudden and eventful transformation into womanhood while experiencing a supernatural encounter in the form of an entity that calls itself “Brother”. This plot is tied in with her grieving mother who finds herself desperately seeking the help of strange occultists to find a way to contact her dead husband. While both plots occasionally collide, none of it actually succeeds in luring the reader into this gaslit late-19th-century New York tale as they both crumble from their weak foundations. The dull characterizations and the trivial action sequences simply make for a depthless horror story that unoriginally copies its plot elements from other classic pieces (e.g. Rosemary’s Baby) to try and stay afloat and relevant.
It was quite maddening to see what artist Kelley Jones had to offer in the artistic department for this story. More often than not, the artwork solicited a solid facepalm if not a strong teeth grinding as it exhibited a less-than-stellar and very average style that did nothing to the story but highlight its flaws. Not only do characters have odd body proportions, but they also have awkward facial constructions that invite readers to wonder what exactly is going on. The awkward blend between fantasy horror elements and human psychology elements was also failed in execution, never truly capturing any sense of cohesion. The horror elements alone miserably failed to take a life of their own. Michelle Madsen’s colours also don't achieve anything special as it simply fills in the blank and assures the reader a certain Gothic horror tone for the story. Unfortunately, that was certainly not enough to save it from imploding in the end.
Daphne Byrne is a mediocre coming-of-age horror story exploring grief and spiritualism through terror and madness.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
January 11, 2023
This was an okayish read, a horror story set in the 1886 time frame in NY when such supernatural belief stuff was high and we see the story of this young girl who having lost her father meets this entity brother who seems to possess her/in love with her/only she sees him, so that kinda stuff and she has to save her mother from a weird cult who has her mother believe that they can show her .. well her ex-husband (dead) but have their own plans like the cliched group they are and its one of those predictable stories, now its upto Daphne to save her plus also learn more about herself.
Its one of those stories thats very predictable but not also, as it shows the great build up of horror with you slowly learning of the character and the entity inhabiting her plus also the atmosphere of the time which was brilliantly portrayed (art-wise) by Kelley Jones, master of horror art I will say, and then the writing had a predictable but good ending as we get to see it all come together. Overall it feels like a good one time read, it combines elements of the usual horror trope but in an interesting way and its the art that will have you hooked for more.
Its one of those stories thats very predictable but not also, as it shows the great build up of horror with you slowly learning of the character and the entity inhabiting her plus also the atmosphere of the time which was brilliantly portrayed (art-wise) by Kelley Jones, master of horror art I will say, and then the writing had a predictable but good ending as we get to see it all come together. Overall it feels like a good one time read, it combines elements of the usual horror trope but in an interesting way and its the art that will have you hooked for more.
March 14, 2021
I had no idea who/what this comic was about. But the attractive and creepy cover interested me enough to pick it up. I am glad I did. Laura Mark's comic shares a lot, in terms of feeling, with Cullen Bunn's "Harrow County". Kelly Jone's artwork is quite good and fits the story well.
Daphne Byrne is a lonely child. Her father has passed away and her mother is a fool who spends her money on spiritualists. Daphne finds out that she has a special friend. Her friend teaches her some new tricks and it turns out that Daphne is more than she seems. On top of this, there is a nefarious plan revolving around Daphne's idiot mother.
An interesting book, set in the late 1800s, that uses atmosphere, art, and story to create a creepy world with spooks and ghosts. The subtle hints, via art, that there is something stalking her is well done. Daphne Byrne has a lot of mysteries surrounding her and the story slowly reveals more.
I am interested in this series and will check out the next volume in this creepy, dark horror comic.
Daphne Byrne is a lonely child. Her father has passed away and her mother is a fool who spends her money on spiritualists. Daphne finds out that she has a special friend. Her friend teaches her some new tricks and it turns out that Daphne is more than she seems. On top of this, there is a nefarious plan revolving around Daphne's idiot mother.
An interesting book, set in the late 1800s, that uses atmosphere, art, and story to create a creepy world with spooks and ghosts. The subtle hints, via art, that there is something stalking her is well done. Daphne Byrne has a lot of mysteries surrounding her and the story slowly reveals more.
I am interested in this series and will check out the next volume in this creepy, dark horror comic.
July 28, 2020
Coolest cover ever but disappointing story.
December 24, 2021
La historia es brutal. Hay muchas escenas paranormales, sangrientas y con monstruos. Las ilustraciones son magníficas.
July 29, 2020
Meh. This was really convoluted and a bit boring, and the art was not my cup of tea. It was actually difficult to tell many of the characters apart because so many of their faces looked nearly identical and the details were so shadowy and minimal. I did like some of the imagery and the way there were hidden details in many of the panels (extra shadows on the sidewalk, etc.), but it didn't make up for how disinteresting I found the book as a whole, sadly.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
November 10, 2020
I don't know really what this book was trying to tell but I couldn't get interested in it thanks to the dull characters.
The art is fine. It's very similar to Sandman and I believe the artist was one of the artist on that, so that was cool. But people still look weird and the action of it all didn't flow very well at all. The characters, who I can't remember a single name, didn't really do anything for me. The idea of the mother of the daughter here was being used and abused while Daphne dealt with seeing a spirit and (maybe) falling in love with her but also being her brother?
This is a weird fucking book. The worst of the HIll House for me and the only one I disliked so far. A 1.5 out of 5.
The art is fine. It's very similar to Sandman and I believe the artist was one of the artist on that, so that was cool. But people still look weird and the action of it all didn't flow very well at all. The characters, who I can't remember a single name, didn't really do anything for me. The idea of the mother of the daughter here was being used and abused while Daphne dealt with seeing a spirit and (maybe) falling in love with her but also being her brother?
This is a weird fucking book. The worst of the HIll House for me and the only one I disliked so far. A 1.5 out of 5.
November 6, 2020
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I came across Daphne Byrne (Hill House Comics) by Laura Marks on a whim while looking for new comics. Once I saw it was available on NetGalley, I decided to try my luck with getting an eARC. I was pleasantly surprised when my request was accepted, and I was super excited to delve into the story.
The premise of this horror comic completely pulled me in. It follows Daphne Byrne, a young girl who is dealing with the loss of her father. One day she meets Brother, a mysterious demon. The two spend more time together, but Daphne cannot help but wonder if she is imagining him. While dealing with her own problems and grief, Daphne’s mother is dealing with a spiritualistic group who seem to be helping her communicate with her dead husband. However, things soon take a turn for both Daphne and her mother as things are not what they seem.
I went into this comic really intrigued by the plot overview, but in reality, it kind of fell flat. Certain parts were choppy or boring at times. I also would have like more background on Brother. The illustrations by Kelley Jones match the dark tone of the comic, but it was not my favorite style. At times, characters blended together. Daphne’s character was also portrayed in ways that made her seem way too old to be a child. However, I did like Daphne’s character and how the story touched the surface of grief from losing a loved one.
While I did not love Daphne Byrne, there were still some cool elements that I enjoyed. It was a quick and somewhat entertaining read for me. The idea for this comic is really intriguing, but I wish the execution of it stood out to me a little more. However, I do see why some people would really enjoy it. If this seems like something you would enjoy, I would still recommend picking up a copy.
Thank you to the publisher, DC Comics, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this comic before its release on November 3rd, 2020.
*Content warning: death (loss of a parent), grief, violence, attempted rape*
I came across Daphne Byrne (Hill House Comics) by Laura Marks on a whim while looking for new comics. Once I saw it was available on NetGalley, I decided to try my luck with getting an eARC. I was pleasantly surprised when my request was accepted, and I was super excited to delve into the story.
The premise of this horror comic completely pulled me in. It follows Daphne Byrne, a young girl who is dealing with the loss of her father. One day she meets Brother, a mysterious demon. The two spend more time together, but Daphne cannot help but wonder if she is imagining him. While dealing with her own problems and grief, Daphne’s mother is dealing with a spiritualistic group who seem to be helping her communicate with her dead husband. However, things soon take a turn for both Daphne and her mother as things are not what they seem.
I went into this comic really intrigued by the plot overview, but in reality, it kind of fell flat. Certain parts were choppy or boring at times. I also would have like more background on Brother. The illustrations by Kelley Jones match the dark tone of the comic, but it was not my favorite style. At times, characters blended together. Daphne’s character was also portrayed in ways that made her seem way too old to be a child. However, I did like Daphne’s character and how the story touched the surface of grief from losing a loved one.
While I did not love Daphne Byrne, there were still some cool elements that I enjoyed. It was a quick and somewhat entertaining read for me. The idea for this comic is really intriguing, but I wish the execution of it stood out to me a little more. However, I do see why some people would really enjoy it. If this seems like something you would enjoy, I would still recommend picking up a copy.
Thank you to the publisher, DC Comics, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this comic before its release on November 3rd, 2020.
*Content warning: death (loss of a parent), grief, violence, attempted rape*
February 21, 2024
The cover art is what drew me to this book. Super creepy! The story though and the artwork throughout lacked. While there were some creepy moments in the book, I am not quite sure what was going on and not quite sure the author knew either. The story really didn't go anywhere and didn't explain much of what was happening. In the end, I was just perplexed. The artwork was about the same. Kind of all over the place. While it was lovely to look at, it wasn't consistent. One frame, Daphne looks like she is 16, in another she looks 6, then another she doesn't even look like her. That happens a lot with throughout the book with Daphne and the other characters. All in all, it was an okay graphic novel.
October 24, 2025
This ended up being just ok. Daphne Byrne’s father has recently passed away and her mother has been spending all her time at this lady’s establishment that’s supposed to be a medium who’s able to contact the dead. Daphne ain’t believing none of that and thinks that lady is full of it. But Daphne has been having visits from a creepy demonic entity who calls himself brother. Meanwhile, this fake medium has some other nefarious plans for Daphne’s mother. By the end we see what those evil plans where and who the mysterious entity visiting Daphne is. While I thought the art was cool and fit the horror theme, I found the story to be a bit cliche and bland.
October 20, 2023
Hmmmm. So, in a brief interview at the back of the book, Laura Marks mentions Joe Hill characterizing this book as, "The Omen in petticoats." As she goes on to point out, it's not a perfect analogy as there are fairly significant differences between Damian and Daphne beyond just the obvious one of gender. But it does convey the gist to a certain extent.
It's the late 1800's in New York City. Daphne's mother is seeing a spirit medium in hopes of contacting Daphne's late father. Daphne is smart enough to spot that the woman is a fraud, but of course her mother doesn't believe her. And we begin to sense that something dark is trying to claim Daphne for its own …
This was … good, but not spectacular. The atmosphere is there. The sense of creeping dread is there. But it's ultimately a fairly run-of-the-mill tale. There's nothing truly surprising or memorable about it.
The best thing about the book is Kelley Jones' art. The period setting lets him really go to town with shadows and voluminous clothing and hair and sidewhiskers sticking every which way. The art is gorgeous! I just wish it were in service of a more interesting story.
I can't really recommend this unless you're maybe a diehard fan of Kelley Jones or horror comics in general.
It's the late 1800's in New York City. Daphne's mother is seeing a spirit medium in hopes of contacting Daphne's late father. Daphne is smart enough to spot that the woman is a fraud, but of course her mother doesn't believe her. And we begin to sense that something dark is trying to claim Daphne for its own …
This was … good, but not spectacular. The atmosphere is there. The sense of creeping dread is there. But it's ultimately a fairly run-of-the-mill tale. There's nothing truly surprising or memorable about it.
The best thing about the book is Kelley Jones' art. The period setting lets him really go to town with shadows and voluminous clothing and hair and sidewhiskers sticking every which way. The art is gorgeous! I just wish it were in service of a more interesting story.
I can't really recommend this unless you're maybe a diehard fan of Kelley Jones or horror comics in general.
April 25, 2025
Zazwyczaj nie zaznaczam tu komiksów które czytam, ale dla tych z serii Hill Hause(i może kilku innych) jestem w stanie zrobić wyjątek. Najbardziej przypadł mi do gustu w tej historii że można ją różnie interpretować: przyjąć że element fantastyczny istnieje lub jest tylko wymysłem szalonego umysłu. Zdecydowanie za krótka była ta opowieści, taki tylko wstęp, przedstawienie bohaterów i świata.
September 10, 2023
"Don’t be afraid. It’s only the dark. It’s not like when you were buried alive… don’t think of it… but it felt safe underground, didn’t it? The only way to feel safe is to be a monster."
This had a lot of promise with hints of a creepy horror story. It just didn’t pay off as I thought it was going to. Bits and pieces had me glued but it wasn’t quick before it made me lose interest. The art was phenomenal though.
This had a lot of promise with hints of a creepy horror story. It just didn’t pay off as I thought it was going to. Bits and pieces had me glued but it wasn’t quick before it made me lose interest. The art was phenomenal though.
April 16, 2021
The first real miss of the Hill House line-up. The story is fine, but it could be leagues better. A young girl in late 19th century New York is possessed by someone (a brother? a demon? a sexy young lad?) while her mother keeps visiting the charlatan seance woman to speak with her dead husband. The charlatan ends up being more dangerous than expected and the demon ends up being...just kinda weird.
The pieces never really fall into place in a coherent, invigorating way. It's fairly generic horror, leaning heavily on gross imagery rather than storytelling prowess. And to think, I just praised the Hill House comics for their storytelling with The Dollhouse Family!
Daphne Byrne definitely plays to the strengths of Kelley Jones' art, which is at its best when demons are popping out of the walls. It's at its worst any time a character's face is in a panel. Jones can't seem to choose one look for a character. Everyone has Jim Carrey's rubber face.
The pieces never really fall into place in a coherent, invigorating way. It's fairly generic horror, leaning heavily on gross imagery rather than storytelling prowess. And to think, I just praised the Hill House comics for their storytelling with The Dollhouse Family!
Daphne Byrne definitely plays to the strengths of Kelley Jones' art, which is at its best when demons are popping out of the walls. It's at its worst any time a character's face is in a panel. Jones can't seem to choose one look for a character. Everyone has Jim Carrey's rubber face.
December 20, 2021
Es más un 2,5
Una niña de 14 años perdió a su padre y todo cambia, su madre comienza a frecuentar lugares donde practican espiritismo, pero ella esta segura que todo es una farsa. No se lleva bien con nadie, pero de repente comienza a hablar con quien le mostrará un camino que ella desconocía por completo.
Una historia de espiritismo regular, se lee rápido, tiene unas cosas que atrapan, y un dibujo muy bueno, pero que por momentos cambiaba demasiado los rasgos de los personajes, siendo esto un aspecto negativo que corta la fluidez de la escena.
No es un cómic memorable, tiene un aura oscura, misterio muy suave, sutil, dentro de una temática que llama mucho la atención y con uno que otro momento destacable en cuanto a dibujo.
La historia tiene un "giro" medio rescatable, y muestra ciertas características de la época en la que se situa y eso me ha gustado, pero eso, nada del otro mundo o que impacte.
Una niña de 14 años perdió a su padre y todo cambia, su madre comienza a frecuentar lugares donde practican espiritismo, pero ella esta segura que todo es una farsa. No se lleva bien con nadie, pero de repente comienza a hablar con quien le mostrará un camino que ella desconocía por completo.
Una historia de espiritismo regular, se lee rápido, tiene unas cosas que atrapan, y un dibujo muy bueno, pero que por momentos cambiaba demasiado los rasgos de los personajes, siendo esto un aspecto negativo que corta la fluidez de la escena.
No es un cómic memorable, tiene un aura oscura, misterio muy suave, sutil, dentro de una temática que llama mucho la atención y con uno que otro momento destacable en cuanto a dibujo.
La historia tiene un "giro" medio rescatable, y muestra ciertas características de la época en la que se situa y eso me ha gustado, pero eso, nada del otro mundo o que impacte.
September 28, 2020
Spiritualism is a deep vein for horror, but this barely skims the surface, and complicating things with a secondary plot of faux-Satanism that never takes root was unnecessary and distracting.
December 24, 2021
La historia es brutal. Mucha sangre y monstruos. Así como lo paranormal luce en todo su esplendor.
September 26, 2020
Okay. This one is a bit....yeah. Let me try that again.
Daphne Byrne by Laura Marks has a lot going on and I mean A LOT.
Miss Daphne Byrne is having a very difficult time adjusting after the death of her father. Her family has lost status in the community due to the circumstances of his death along with no income. Her mother has taken to spending what little they have on a local medium that Daphne believes to be fraudulent. One day there is a boy. A mysterious boy that introduces her to darkness. That loves her. That is with her always. Manipulates her. Wants her for his own. When they are together, they are capable of acting out monstrous ideas.
One comeuppance, two comeuppance, three comeuppance, four
Makes one wonder if there will be more? :)
Meanwhile, the medium is not what she claims to be and neither is the housekeeper at the Byrne residence.
And.....Daphne begins to enjoy who she really is without her skin.
We have deception and demons, cruelty and cults, perversion and poetry (depending on your taste). A startling revelation. And a mother and daughter on the run. Do not mess with Daphne.
The artwork is very good. The coloring is dark which I believe is necessary due to the content of the story.
At times, if it is possible, I found the coloring too dark. I had to zoom in, then zoom out to read dialogue and to make out what was happening in the frame. I will say it was not often which was a plus.
The story-line is a bit convoluted. The story does come together at the end, however there were times that I felt I was reading two separate stories. One story about Daphne and the second about her mother.
Daphne's dark side kept me reading.
Thanks to NetGalley, DC Black Label, and Laura Marks and Kelley Jones for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Daphne Byrne by Laura Marks has a lot going on and I mean A LOT.
Miss Daphne Byrne is having a very difficult time adjusting after the death of her father. Her family has lost status in the community due to the circumstances of his death along with no income. Her mother has taken to spending what little they have on a local medium that Daphne believes to be fraudulent. One day there is a boy. A mysterious boy that introduces her to darkness. That loves her. That is with her always. Manipulates her. Wants her for his own. When they are together, they are capable of acting out monstrous ideas.
One comeuppance, two comeuppance, three comeuppance, four
Makes one wonder if there will be more? :)
Meanwhile, the medium is not what she claims to be and neither is the housekeeper at the Byrne residence.
And.....Daphne begins to enjoy who she really is without her skin.
We have deception and demons, cruelty and cults, perversion and poetry (depending on your taste). A startling revelation. And a mother and daughter on the run. Do not mess with Daphne.
The artwork is very good. The coloring is dark which I believe is necessary due to the content of the story.
At times, if it is possible, I found the coloring too dark. I had to zoom in, then zoom out to read dialogue and to make out what was happening in the frame. I will say it was not often which was a plus.
The story-line is a bit convoluted. The story does come together at the end, however there were times that I felt I was reading two separate stories. One story about Daphne and the second about her mother.
Daphne's dark side kept me reading.
Thanks to NetGalley, DC Black Label, and Laura Marks and Kelley Jones for an ARC in return for an honest review.
October 25, 2023
This Gothic story is an interesting mix of Rosemary’s Baby meets The Omen!
Set in New York City in 1886, fourteen-year-old Daphne has just lost her father, and her mother is being bamboozled by a spiritualist who has a sinister plan in store for her. A ghostly young man appears to Daphne- and we are never sure of his intents or origins, but his shadowy specter convinces her to explore her inner darkness. Are some of her underworld experiences real or the delusions of a grieving daughter? But she takes her new-found power to help her mother when she is kidnapped by a nefarious cult-like group who wishes her to bear them a child of the Devil.
The art is a mixed bag. Drawn in a pulp-fiction style, the art veers between cartoony and realistic. There can be detailed panels with cool imagery (look for creepy surprises drawn into some of the backgrounds), but then the faces can be distorted and shown incorrectly. Despite Daphne and some classmates being teens, some shadowing and lines were added to make them look old and haggard. Closeups were nobody’s friend in this book. A late scene of nudity made me chuckle, as I enjoyed seeing how they would draw the bodies to have something always blocking their private parts. The chapter breaks included cover art drawn in a different style that was striking- with the one of Daphne sitting at a graveside being my absolute favorite.
This story appealed to me more than I thought it would- in one way it was campy, yet I liked the way Daphne gave into her inner demons to utilize them to her benefit. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advance online copy of this fourth entry in the Hill House label!
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2020/11/0...
Set in New York City in 1886, fourteen-year-old Daphne has just lost her father, and her mother is being bamboozled by a spiritualist who has a sinister plan in store for her. A ghostly young man appears to Daphne- and we are never sure of his intents or origins, but his shadowy specter convinces her to explore her inner darkness. Are some of her underworld experiences real or the delusions of a grieving daughter? But she takes her new-found power to help her mother when she is kidnapped by a nefarious cult-like group who wishes her to bear them a child of the Devil.
The art is a mixed bag. Drawn in a pulp-fiction style, the art veers between cartoony and realistic. There can be detailed panels with cool imagery (look for creepy surprises drawn into some of the backgrounds), but then the faces can be distorted and shown incorrectly. Despite Daphne and some classmates being teens, some shadowing and lines were added to make them look old and haggard. Closeups were nobody’s friend in this book. A late scene of nudity made me chuckle, as I enjoyed seeing how they would draw the bodies to have something always blocking their private parts. The chapter breaks included cover art drawn in a different style that was striking- with the one of Daphne sitting at a graveside being my absolute favorite.
This story appealed to me more than I thought it would- in one way it was campy, yet I liked the way Daphne gave into her inner demons to utilize them to her benefit. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advance online copy of this fourth entry in the Hill House label!
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2020/11/0...
November 3, 2020
(3,6 of 5 for decent "victorian" horror with somehow fitting but bit repulsive art)
Daphne Byrne is the wakest of Hill House stories (if not counting Sea dog, which is an only bit better but far better on the art side). The style of art is a bit weird for my taste. And even if I like ghost stories and the setting, the story wasn't that appealing. Nothing much to say here, one miss for ill House is still a pretty good score.
Daphne Byrne is the wakest of Hill House stories (if not counting Sea dog, which is an only bit better but far better on the art side). The style of art is a bit weird for my taste. And even if I like ghost stories and the setting, the story wasn't that appealing. Nothing much to say here, one miss for ill House is still a pretty good score.
July 28, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy to review!
My Booktube
This was... ok? The plot was at least interesting enough for me to want to continue but I am personally not a fan of when supernatural things are left more open-ended, though I know that is a lot of people's preferred brand of horror.
The art style was either GREAT, or very much a miss. And in a lot of the art this 12-15 year old girl looked closer to like 25. Instead of being a girl that just had her first period. Which feels weird as there are some questionably sexualized moments and she is basically drawn with the proportions of a grown woman in some panels. In fact I thought she was much older until I saw her in comparison with her mother, where she is actually quite short.
I think this is like a 2.5 for me? I wouldn't read anything else set in this world and I can't really say I even cared about our MC that much as she is not given enough time to grow or at least show herself.
My Booktube
This was... ok? The plot was at least interesting enough for me to want to continue but I am personally not a fan of when supernatural things are left more open-ended, though I know that is a lot of people's preferred brand of horror.
The art style was either GREAT, or very much a miss. And in a lot of the art this 12-15 year old girl looked closer to like 25. Instead of being a girl that just had her first period. Which feels weird as there are some questionably sexualized moments and she is basically drawn with the proportions of a grown woman in some panels. In fact I thought she was much older until I saw her in comparison with her mother, where she is actually quite short.
I think this is like a 2.5 for me? I wouldn't read anything else set in this world and I can't really say I even cared about our MC that much as she is not given enough time to grow or at least show herself.
July 29, 2020
The story is okay. If you want a mood overview, it is set somewhere between From Hell and the new Mary Poppins. The title character lives in a Victorian Mean Girls at school and comes home to be a Coraline who finds a horror version of The Matrix or Inception she can dip into. She battles her enemies with these new powers. Her mother, meanwhile is living a partial Rosemary's Baby. The two stories collide.
The tale has promise, but its main flaw is that the rules are not clearly defined. I don't necessarily need the origin and explanation of the guy whispering in her ear spelled out, but I do need to know how this demon magic does and does not function in the world in a consistent way to be able to appreciate the characters' movement through the story.
The end is somewhat creative in how it ties the two stories together, but it just sort of flops out after that and has one more reveal that does not pack much punch, because again the rules are unclear.
The tale has promise, but its main flaw is that the rules are not clearly defined. I don't necessarily need the origin and explanation of the guy whispering in her ear spelled out, but I do need to know how this demon magic does and does not function in the world in a consistent way to be able to appreciate the characters' movement through the story.
The end is somewhat creative in how it ties the two stories together, but it just sort of flops out after that and has one more reveal that does not pack much punch, because again the rules are unclear.
October 25, 2025
Kind of a mish-mash, storywise, with the tale of a young girl with a demonic friend intertwined with that of her mother, being taken advantage of by a fake clairvoyant whose interests are considerably darker. Daphne is a teenager at a posh girls' school in New York in the late 1800s. Her circumstances are somewhat worse than those of her friends, since her father's unexpected death and her mother wasting her money on a psychic. Daphne discovers a friend that only she can see who helps her get revenge on the mean girls at school and sets out to try to free her mother from the clutches of the fake fortuneteller. The two stories never really work together or successfully combine. But it was great to have an entire series with Kelley Jones' artwork again. He was born to draw this sort of thing, with monsters and hallucinations and characters with their eyes bugging out. I might have given this 2 stars for the story, but Jones' work alone elevates this to a 3-star outing.
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