The fifth installment of the anthology of images certainly packs a punch! With Blizzard as the crowning glory, and the introduction of Zoe Thorogood’s haunting “I Think I Could Be Bad” and Jeff Lemire’s “Royal City,” this might be my favorite of the anthologies so far.
First, let’s talk about Blizzard. Wow. This is how we set the scene, this is how we create tension, this is how we frighten the reader for the characters, even doubtful ones, when they are brought to confront an unknown monster. The pacing of the story so far, in my opinion, has been great. It allows you to really sit with the story, familiarize yourself with the setting, and really experience the action. Even with chapters as short as they are, because they don’t rush through unfolding events, they just seem to work.
Andrea Mutti’s artwork and Rob Leigh’s lettering are so beautifully done. They managed to brilliantly capture the chaos and ferocity of the blizzard, and the violence of the monster. And I’m not usually a fan of scenes like this, as they can often get muddy and get lost in the complicated nature of the artwork, but I think here Mutti has done a particularly good job of maintaining the balance between the storm and people are stuck in it.
In an anthology with such a variety of writers and artists, it’s held its own extremely well so far, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next. Although if something bad is going to happen to Michael, I want the creators to tell me now, because I don’t think I can handle the emotions, and I’d rather stop now than risk my feelings later.
Now, let’s look at Zoe Thorogood’s “I Think I Might Be Wicked” graphic novel. If you’ve read my reviews before, you’ll know that I’m a fan of his artwork and storytelling style, and this preview of his new graphic novel is no exception. I just know I’ll be waiting in line to get my hands on a physical copy as soon as it’s released (in 2024! Zoe, please don’t do this to me).
From what I’ve seen so far, it promises spooky and weird adventures, cool characters, and gorgeous artwork. Sign me up.