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Jeff Lemire is once again masterful in the leisurely way he builds a world for us.
Phantom Road #11 brings us something more tangible with the new The Horrormen storyline.
While the first arc was so crammed with puzzles and mysteries and the unexplained that as a reader I never knew whether I thought it was great or bad that I had no idea what it was all about and where the road was leading.
So the second arc brought a bit more clarification and background about a still inexplicable world of mystery, horror and tragedy.
Now, finally, Lemire and Walta continue to work with the revealed background, i.e. Theresa Weaver’s past, and bring back a bit more action and a plot that doesn’t build on questions but provides answers. Less magic and more realism.
The first part of the 5-part Horrormen storyline is a very smooth read. We meet Theresa Weaver’s father, Donald Weaver, loving family man and respected FBI agent. Who is assigned to a new case and an eccentric partner in Wisconsin, Project Jackknife, due to certain skills (which we will probably learn more about later).
The new character, Jimmy Harold, his new partner, finally brings some humor into the story, as Phantom Road was previously very much dominated by suspense, horror and drama. That all remains, of course, but we also get a bit more of a mellow X-Files feel.
But above all, for the first time I get the feeling that this can actually all make sense and an idea of what the Billie Bear truck stops and the people behind them have to do with all this madness.
With his iconic style (and not to be underestimated, atmospheric support from colorist Jordie Bellaire), artist Gabriel H. Walta not only succeeds in creating a very unique ambience between tension and relaxation. He also transports both the emotional and the mystical, i.e. the quintessence of Lemire’s writing, to the reader.
With this 11th issue, Lemire and Walta are really getting me excited again for this pretty unique series, which admittedly waned a bit towards the end of the last arc.
So I’m looking very much forward to see the Horrormen investigating and providing us with new reveals and witty dialogues.
Phantom Road #11 brings us something more tangible with the new The Horrormen storyline.
While the first arc was so crammed with puzzles and mysteries and the unexplained that as a reader I never knew whether I thought it was great or bad that I had no idea what it was all about and where the road was leading.
So the second arc brought a bit more clarification and background about a still inexplicable world of mystery, horror and tragedy.
Now, finally, Lemire and Walta continue to work with the revealed background, i.e. Theresa Weaver’s past, and bring back a bit more action and a plot that doesn’t build on questions but provides answers. Less magic and more realism.
The first part of the 5-part Horrormen storyline is a very smooth read. We meet Theresa Weaver’s father, Donald Weaver, loving family man and respected FBI agent. Who is assigned to a new case and an eccentric partner in Wisconsin, Project Jackknife, due to certain skills (which we will probably learn more about later).
The new character, Jimmy Harold, his new partner, finally brings some humor into the story, as Phantom Road was previously very much dominated by suspense, horror and drama. That all remains, of course, but we also get a bit more of a mellow X-Files feel.
But above all, for the first time I get the feeling that this can actually all make sense and an idea of what the Billie Bear truck stops and the people behind them have to do with all this madness.
With his iconic style (and not to be underestimated, atmospheric support from colorist Jordie Bellaire), artist Gabriel H. Walta not only succeeds in creating a very unique ambience between tension and relaxation. He also transports both the emotional and the mystical, i.e. the quintessence of Lemire’s writing, to the reader.
With this 11th issue, Lemire and Walta are really getting me excited again for this pretty unique series, which admittedly waned a bit towards the end of the last arc.
So I’m looking very much forward to see the Horrormen investigating and providing us with new reveals and witty dialogues.
