And though I love all forms of comics and graphic novels, the ones that really get me salivating are ones that push boundaries. Or maybe I just feel they push boundaries more because they speak to something in my soul. They don't have your perfect lines or flowing sentences. They're visceral and emotional. Through art, they communicate something so much more than what's on the surface of the paper.
When I heard about Wytches, by Scott Snyder and JOCK, I knew it was something I needed to read.
And when I saw that subdued cover with just a hint of bright red, the shadow playing against the trees, I fell in love.
The story opens with four panels in pure chaos. The perfect lines are nowhere to be seen. There are splotches of color against a subdued black and blue background. And then we see this distorted face amidst the chaos and the only dialogue on the whole page is, "...Please...Please help me!"
It's powerful, and honestly scary.
The next page only adds to the creepiness. The face, we see on closer inspection, is being swallowed by a tree. The splotches of color are blood. And then there's this little boy who does the last thing you'd ever expect. It was honestly one of the most disturbing openings to a comic I've ever seen.
The rest of the story continues with its chaotic theme. We're slowly introduced to backstory, jumping around from scene to scene, never quite comfortable. Never quite understanding everything that's going on until the last page.
Wytches is definitely a brilliant example of multiple artists coming together to make something brilliant. The words and the art work perfectly together to disarm you. You won't be able to put this one down.
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