I love American Halloween history – so much so that I had planned a pilgrimage to Salem this year, only to bail once I found out that over 1 million other people have the same idea annually. My back-up plan was “Sleepy Hollow.”
WRITTEN BY: Marguerite Bennett, Noelle Stevenson
ART BY: Jorge Coelho, Noelle Stevenson
PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: October 15, 2014
Reviewed by Nick Brehmer
One of my earliest memories of my fascination with horror and the macabre is seeing the theatrical trailer for Tim Burton’s 1999 cinematic re-imagining of Sleepy Hollow. I pieced together the montage and created my own story arc in between the time I saw the trailer and the film’s actual release. My grandmother gifted it to me on VHS for my birthday. I had a crush on Christina Ricci.
I had heard about the FOX television adaptation last year when it premiered, and was intrigued by the apparent collision of the classic tale with that of Rip Van Winkle to create this new contemporary crime “drama.” There are also some “Just Visiting” elements thrown in to keep the tumblr community hooked and giggling. I know Kate Beaton sure does love it.
I’ve missed out on keeping up with the show, so I thought that taking a look at the comic adaptation would be the next best thing.
Going into this first issue blind is, I’ll admit, unfair, but I was nonetheless left unimpressed. I was pretty confused and found the framing of the narrative to be very jumpy and immediate. A lot happens and I’m still not exactly sure why or how. Like most buddy-cop plots, the conflict is resolved way too quickly and the peril to the community isn’t detailed enough to leave the readers concerned or compelled. There’s a lot of stretching, and I’m not just talking about the arms of the possessed.
I will say that the artwork is a draw. The content is uniquely stylized and there’s some pretty creepy imagery within. The show has been reviewing well; if you’re a fan then this quick read will probably keep you interested.
For me, I dunno, it’s no Christopher Walken.
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A product of the harsh lands of Northern Ontario, Nick Brehmer is in fact a sensitive flower currently blooming in the GTA. He spends his downtime wishing he was British. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @nicholasbrehmer