Comics
[Advance Review] “Harrow County” #1 Is Haunting And Beautiful
“Harrow County” #1 is a rural tale of ancient horror brought to life by Cullen Bunn’s fearful narration and Tyler Crook’s incredible watercolors. The atmosphere of this book will creep down your spine and stay there, trapping you in the its embrace. There is no respite. This is one story that will be with you for a very long time.
WRITTEN BY: Cullen Bunn
ART BY: Tyler Crook
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: May 13, 2015
Cullen Bunn has a certain affinity for rural townsfolk. Quaint farmland is a reoccurring setting in his horror work, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a place of limited understanding, strong belief, and superstition. These elements play well in the world of horror. They also lend well to ancient evil. Heavy reliance on technology undercuts just about everything, but building an atmosphere outside of this reliance creates a nostalgic horror that proves irresistible.
Tyler Crook’s water colors command the very first page. There is a lot to love about the art. Crook pencils, inks, and colors everything. And, you can see the labor on the page. Outside of that technical achievement is a natural talent for storytelling. The visual pacing is sweeping and perfectly in sync with the writing.
There are a few particular panels in this first issue that will absolutely stop you dead. A few for the fear that they inspire, and a few more for the absolute beauty of their composition. Just take a moment and marvel at Crook’s creative process.
The main character, Emmy is a superstitious little child growing up on a farm. Cullen Bunn excellently places the reader in the scared child’s head with voice over narration. Instead of detracting from the story, he adds new angles to Crook’s art. Informing his terrified little girl as she glides through the pages. There is a moment of sheer terror that is combated in the most beautiful way possible: innocence.
Childhood is a time of naivety, and while that theme may seem tired for most readers, it doesn’t last long. The entire issue is filled with reversals that will test your foresight. If you thought you knew what was lurking on the next page, Bunn is one step ahead of you.
“Harrow County” is a masterful creation that lingers in the small moments of terror from our daily lives. It builds on this tension by adding a supernatural layer, and hits it home with a petrifying climax. It’s attractive and scary. You’ll be scared to turn the page, but dying to see what beautiful darkness comes next. This is a whole new level of southern gothic that cannot be missed.
That.Last.Page… damn.
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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