REVIEW: BONE ORCHARD MYTHOS HC BLACK FEATHERS

Having Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino’s names against a new title means that readers can expect a high-quality Horror-Mystery, that’ll likely take you on a journey you weren’t prepared for. ‘Ten Thousand Black Feathers’ not only lives up to this expectation but pushes the abilities of this creative team even further.

The second release from the exciting Bone Orchard Mythos’ Ten Thousand Black Feathers’ follows Trish, a writer of scary stories, as she returns to her small-town home of Hamilton intent on investigating the mysterious disappearance of her childhood friend, Jackie, that occurred many years earlier. Trish makes her way passively through the story’s beginning as she attempts to heal the wounds of her loss and the dark thoughts that plague her mind. However, all is not as it seems, and we soon discover that Trish is caught in a nightmarish battle against disturbing forces that seem connected to her missing friend and threaten to break her grasp on reality. Early on, the timeline shifts, and we meet the two young girls before tragedy invades their lives, and with not much else to do but read Sci-Fi and Fantasy novels, they create their own secret world, a shadowy realm inhabited by mysterious entities. Trish seems fixed on these memories, and through the continued use of flashbacks, we see how the childhood fantasy builds and develops into a private Myth that sees the two friends battling in the depths of their dark imagination. As the events of Jackie’s disappearance are revealed, and Trish’s sense of reality slips further, the search for answers leads her into the heart of the Mythic realm and all that lurks within it.

Beneath all the subtle Horror goodness is a well-constructed thriller that puts a tantalising psychological twist on a well-explored storyline (a young girl gone missing from a small town). Everything is connected with expert precision as ‘ Ten Thousand Black Feathers’ messes with your mind in the best possible way as the plot makes its way to a satisfying conclusion.

Lemire’s writing is as sharp and authentic as always. He’s created another set of superbly defined, sympathetic, and believable characters with his knack for making you feel like you already know them. The Central story is genuinely spellbinding and builds with subtle shifts in tone and expert use of flashbacks that adds to Lemires intricate worldbuilding, promising further intrigue for the rest of the series. Particularly impressive are the transitions from the ordinary world to the dark, imagined realms that will leave you confused and astonished in equal measure.

Jeff Lemire stated that when he first began collaborating with Andrea Sorrentino, “something about our storytelling fits perfectly, and I think we both made each other better creators”. Every page and panel in ‘Ten Thousand Black Feathers’ is a testament to this harmonium’s creative relationship.

Sorrentino works the chaotic nightmarish world into every layout, bringing the characters to life while building tension and suspense. His signature eerie darkness, blank faces with subtle hints of expression, and carefully chosen details maintain a melancholy beauty that massively enhances the reading experience. More than anything else, Sorrentino once again proves himself a master at building suspense without the assistance of dialogue. Like in the widely acclaimed Gideon Falls series, much of the critical elements of story and character development happen in skillfully connected panels that can reveal everything about a scene with only a few dark images.

‘Ten Thousand Black Feathers’ builds a tale that is all at once nightmarish and intriguing. The compelling twists and turns will keep you guessing from each issue to the next. It’s well-executed mix of Horror, Drama, and Psychological Thriller maintains Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino’s place at the top of the list of best Horror Comic creators.

Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colours – 5 Stars

Overall-5 Stars

(W) Jeff Lemire (A) Dave Stewart (A/CA) Andrea Sorrentino