Last month, Harrow County recovered from a subpar outing with a return to its usual (and excellent) form. This week, we get to see the continuation of that weird/creepy cliffhanger from last issue.
Is it good?
Harrow County #14 (Dark Horse Comics)
Observations
- Hadn’t thought much about Emmy’s mom lately, but this flashback is incredibly interesting…
- …and heartbreaking ☹
- Gotta say, though, Tyler Crook draws an adorable ba—HOLY CRAP WHAT IS THAT?
- I’ll tell you what it is: A darn good argument for birth control.
- Back to the Creeper in the Cornfield. I still don’t like this guy.
- Heh. Emmy’s not a fan of mysterious mystical real estate. After what happened a couple issues ago, I can’t say I blame her.
- I’d have a much easier time accepting that these characters MIGHT be good if they weren’t all so scary looking and/or smiling like a cat about to eat a canary.
- Oh man, flashback to Emmy’s mom #2…
- …and heartbreak #2, served up with a side of horror.
Is It Good?
There’s really not much left for me to say about how good Tyler Crook’s artwork is, but his uncanny knack for turning beautiful images into terrifying/gruesome ones is on full display here. He also gets to show off a couple of gorgeous two-page spreads.
Unfortunately, Crook and writer Cullen Bunn appear to be forming a bad habit recently of telegraphed story twists. While I can’t honestly say I knew the second flashback was coming, the reader is painfully aware of something that Emmy seems completely oblivious to. This narrative shortfall is due in equal parts to how the new characters are drawn as well as how they behave.
But if we’re going to pass around blame, then Crooke and Bunn also deserve credit for crafting yet another haunting tale that successfully builds on Harrow County’s expanding mythology. While I’m not a huge fan of how it was revealed, the dynamic that brings the story of Emmy’s mother into the fold is a great foundation for what looks to be another fantastic story arc.
If you pick up this issue (which you should), then make sure you read to the very end past the letter column. There’s another one of those “Tales from Harrow County” one-pagers, which are always good, but this one might be my favorite. You’ll need to have some knowledge of the series’ history to get it, but for folks who have been with Harrow County since the beginning, it’s a real treat.
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