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Three for Thursday: Independent Comic Reviews: Harrow County #2 and More

By Roland Petalver

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Each week, we try to shine a spotlight on three comics released by companies other than the Big Two publishers. Thus, Three for Thursday!

Roche Limit: Clandestiny #2
Writer: Moreci, Michael
Artist: Charles, Kyle
Cover Artist: Charles, Kyle
Published by Image

As I stated in my review of the first issue of Roche Limit: Clandestiny, the creative team behind this comic did a good job of bringing us a science fiction story that, in its more horrific moments, reminds us of the films Aliens and Pitch Black. A military rescue team is dispatched to an unmapped planet. On this mysterious planet they find buildings and signs of human habitation. They just do not immediately find anything alive to rescue. But while the first issue was all about setting up this universe for us, the second issue jumps in and gives us a bit of action and a twist on an old theme.

The rescue team, led by Captain Elbus, has split into two teams in order to reconnoiter the small habitation they find. Both teams encounter threats to their mission and survival in the form of odd techno-organic creatures. These creatures seem to appear out of nowhere, and the aggression and violence that they direct at the rescue teams is as thorough as it is surprising. The artwork by Kyle Charles gives this action an intensity that is fun to follow. And while his layouts and transitions can sometimes be confusing, his overall work in this book is spot on.

He and the writer for this book, Michael Moreci, have created a dense, beautiful and scary world for our heroes to explore. More, they have taken the monster-in-a-sci-fi-story and added psychological dimensions that broaden the scope of the problems the characters face. They begin to hallucinate and confuse reality with fantasy on top of having to deal with unknown attackers. A surprise ally reveals that there is a kind of bio-weapon at play here, but at the end of this issue, the scope or purpose of this weapon — if indeed it is a weapon — has yet to be identified.

Between what is turning into a well textured story and capable artwork, Roche Limit: Clandestiny is finding its footing toward a well-rounded narrative, and one of the more memorable science fiction comics on the market today. Characters in this second issue are starting to show some depth, and the threat they face, while still ominously murky, has begun to come into focus. I hope this progression continues in the next issue.

From the publisher:

"Elbus and his military crew form an unlikely alliance in their rush to flee the city. Meanwhile, within the forest, Sasha and the science team’s expedition comes unhinged."

Midnight Society: The Black Lake #1
Writer: Johnson, Drew
Artist: Johnson, Drew
Cover Artist: Johnson, Drew
Published by Dark Horse

"I love the pulp era. Adventurers, mystery men and women, pseudoscience — darkness and horror colliding with invention and magic—these things crank the gears of my imagination. I’ve wondered for a while … Could pulp stories told in a modern setting reignite the fire of wonder and breathless excitement once found blazing on newsprint, under a glossy cover? I put pencil to paper one night, figuring I’d try to find out. This is how my first effort was realized. Here’s my spark. I hope it catches fire for you. Drop us a note and let us know.Thank you for joining us!Drew Edward JohnsonMarch 2015"

The writer and artist for Midnight Society: The Black Lake #1, Drew Johnson, added these words as a postscript to this premier issue. I could not have put my fascination of mystery teams and love of pulp stories much better. There is a certain feel to these stories that make them unique in comic publishing. And when well done, they are some of the best stories in comics. While it may be too early to say if Midnight Society is going to have any longevity, based on the first issue I am comfortable in saying it has a shot at a long run and a place in comic history.

It is not that Johnson and his creative team have created anything new with this title. Their characters and the world they inhabit are familiar to any fan of adventure stories. (In a nutshell, Midnight Society tells the story of a British group of adventurers. Some have been chasing mysteries for decades while some new members of the team only begin to grasp the scope of the mysteries in the world. Parallels to Planetary are evident.) But still, and paradoxically, the comic feels fresh. A lot of this can be attributed to Johnson’s highly detailed artwork. His action scenes are well thought out and masterfully executed. One sequence takes up half of the comic, and left me, for one, wanting more. Add to his sharp art a textured story that has very little fat, and he has managed to infuse this old trope of a secret society let loose in the world with a surprising vivacity.

The first issue ends as a part of the team embarks on a search and rescue mission to recover lost members who had been exploring Loch Ness. They had been looking for the legendary creature said to swim its waters when they suddenly and mysteriously went offline. Again, pretty straightforward stuff, but after filling the pages of Midnight Society: The Black Lake #1 with some memorable art and snappy storytelling, I feel confident that this ending will lead to more of the same.

From the publisher:

"Forty years ago, England’s greatest adventurers cast aside their friendship, making a choice that would come to haunt humanity. Now, secret agent Matilda Finn will face the consequences of that choice as she aids in a frantic rescue operation at Scotland’s Loch Ness, where something terrible is waiting to draw her into the fight of her life!"

Harrow County #2
Writer: Bunn, Cullen
Artist: Crook, Tyler
Cover Artist: Crook, Tyler
Published by Dark Horse

As much as I enjoyed the first issue of Harrow County (you can read my review here), the story that Cullen Bunn and his team put together was a blend of older stories that almost drowned out their creative vision of the ghosts and witches of Harrow County. Nightmare on Elm Street, Children of the Corn, and Alice in Wonderland all came to mind when reading their comic. But this second issue of the comic tries, and succeeds in some ways, in creating some separation from previous stories, creating a world uniquely its own.

To recap, Harrow County puts us in the company of a country girl, Emmy, as she approaches her 18th birthday. She begins to have nasty dreams and visions that lead her off into the deep, dark woods. Meanwhile, we see through flashbacks that the townsfolk of Harrow County have been hiding a violent history from Emmy and perhaps themselves. A witch is involved.

Harrow County #2 adds depth to this narrative. Emmy finds herself face to face with supernatural forces, and even decides to start carrying around the skin of a presumably dead boy, believing it to be the physical manifestation of a friendly ghost. The townsfolk revisit their secret history, and a seemingly unholy decision is made in regards to Emmy. Characters start to stand on their own and apart from familiar stereotypes. Emmy in particular, with her troubles and odd decision making, draws the reader in, working on your curiosity. You want to see what she will do, what terrible thing she will have to deal with next in her young life.

Tyler Crook, the artist for this comic, is as instrumental, if not more so, as Cullen and his writing are to the story. He balances the dual emotions of wonderment and creepiness with his soft color palette and beautiful layouts. If Harrow County is to succeed as a title — as I think it may — Crook will have to continue his outstanding artwork in compliment to Cullen’s world building. The two have created an engaging world to explore. Where it goes from here is anyone’s guess, but based on what we have seen so far, there will be blood, mystery and ghosts involved.

(Note: Harrow County #2 continues the format of the first issue by including a short second story, giving depth and adding to the sense of horror and the supernatural that appears to have been a part of Harrow County long before we see Emmy and her frighteningly fun pseudo-adventures. Tales of Harrow County as they are called, are fun little vignettes that allow other artists to contribute to what Cullen and his team are crafting.)

From the publisher:

"As Emmy learns the secrets of her world from the strange and terrifying Tattered Skin, her father’s unusual behavior becomes ever more frightening, and the townsfolk begin to assemble with a deadly intent!"

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