Comics
[Comic Book Review] There’s So Much to See in “LOW” #4
There’s so much to see in issue #4 of Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini’s series “Low.”
WRITTEN BY: Rick Remender
ART BY: Greg Tocchini
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: October 29, 2014
Reviewed by Nick Brehmer
Marik has been pulled up into his mother’s hope. The third city, Poluma, still exists and they have found it. However, this hub of science and innovation has fallen into the hands of the scurvy horde and now, like Salus, runs the risk of destroying itself through blind indulgence. The disappointment of Stel and Marik is washed away at the sight of Roln who, back in issue #1, killed Johl and kidnapped his young daughters. Tajo, at least, is alive and has become a sort of play-thing/pseudo daughter to Roln who revels in the familial mind games that he plays with her. The mission of discovery quickly turns into a rescue mission. However, the ebb and flow of doubt and hope continues as Tajo turns out to be more of a willful prisoner than anticipated.
The artwork of this issue is so inspiring. I’m left wondering if the two creators even realize the scale of lore that they create in this universe. It’s on an epic level. Just like the narrative, it’s quick to change and full of surprises. Despite the grit of this new city we get to explore as readers, you want to be there, experiencing and the wonder and disgust that our heroes do.
The thematic brilliance of Remender’s narrative lies in his earnest pursuit of balance. I mentioned in the review of the previous issue that I was concerned that some readers may raise the “preachy” flag on this series. Issue #4 demonstrates that while it may be obvious that Remender is curating a keen sense of optimism, his characters aren’t naïve nor are his situations eschewing discomfort. The opposite really. Remender’s optimism thrives off of discomfort. Optimism requires discomfort in order to be intentional and significant. Balance is also laid out in the development of characters through the incorporation of flaws rather than a strict reliance on their qualities amidst their challenges. For example, up until now, Stel has been the picture of hope, but this issue highlights not only her pride but her rashness as well. Marik becomes the collected one in this issue, but his devotion to his mother’s hope leads him to follow her lead.
In the back matter “Lowdown”, Remender writes that they have a 60-issue story arc planned should things continue to go well for the series. This makes me very, very happy.
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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
The supernatural world of Korean folk horror movie Exhuma grows larger with the arrival of prequel spinoff webtoon Maengjong this weekend, Variety reports today.
Naver Webtoon debuts Maengjong on May 30.
The series hails from Haemuri (Olgami) and will trace the high school origins of how shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil, played by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun in the 2024 film, came together to face occultish threats.
The story is set to begin when “Hwarim, who has been concealing her identity following a childhood encounter with a snake spirit called Jin, crosses paths with Bonggil at their school.”
Variety notes that Exhuma director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project’s early concept stage.
“We are presenting ‘Maengjong,’ a new series capturing the appeal of the horror-occult genre, ahead of the full summer season,” said Lee Jeong-geun, Naver Webtoon’s Korea webtoon content leader. “With the high school story of Hwarim and Bonggil, who left a strong impression in the film ‘Exhuma,’ enhanced by Haemuri’s characteristic tense direction, we expect it will be a welcome work for genre fans.”
“It is meaningful that the spin-off story of ‘Exhuma,’ loved by many audiences, expands by meeting the new grammar of webtoon,” said Lee Hyeon-jeong, managing director of the film business division at Showbox, which distributed the film. “We hope it will be a fresh experience for both film fans and webtoon readers.”
Exhuma was a breakout hit in 2024, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. I wrote in my review that “the intricately woven Exhuma delivers one of the year’s biggest surprises in horror so far.”
The bond between Hwarim and Bonggil was one of the film’s highlights, making this prequel webtoon a must for fans.
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