The Neighbors #1, from BOOM Studios, delves into the scary scenarios of yes, a neighbourhood. As we start out, Casey Shipton is found by rifle wielding well-meaning men. Or is it a voodoo symbol? So is it Casey, or what? Writer Jude Ellsion S. Doyle wraps mystery around the roots of a dead tree, a straw figure in the fetal position.
We are puzzled and for good reason. The story starts in a dark place and explains itself only slightly. We encounter mysterious mysteries, mysterious stranger danger, mysterious turns of plot without much of a roadmap. Spooky women dressed in black sit on the lawn, silhouettes stand in windows, people are trans, and transfixed. It’s a jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces gone.
Artist Letizia Cadonici gives us the moody blues, with thin lines, spooky expressions, and an interestingly positioned viewpoint. Colourist Alessandro Santoro provides mostly earth tones, a murky muddy hash from which we pull the roots of drama. But then there are flashes of blue sky, stalned glass windows that illuminate the gloom for a few moments. Letters are by Becca Carey.
We reluctantly settle into getting to know Casey, you know, the person we were looking for at the beginning of the story. It’s round and round, with teen angst, resentment, and revelations, it’s hard to put a neigborly finger on, hard to make a solid recommendation, let’s hope the next issue rings our bell a little more consistently.
BOOM Studios, The Neighbors #1, $4.99 for 24 pages of content
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