REVIEW: SERIAL TP VOL 01 GLASS TOMB

When Terry Moore released Five Years in 2019, it seemed like the end of the “Terryverse”. In a quarter of a century, he had created a number of acclaimed series spanning multiple genres. Most popular, of course, was Strangers in Paradise; a slice-of-life romance mixed with organized crime thriller. Then there was Rachel Rising, a supernatural horror hit. Alongside these, there were Echo and Motor Girl, which saw Moore delve into sci-fi elements. And then, with Five Years, he brought all of his characters into one big story. The ambition alone would have been admirable, but he actually pulled it off. It would have been a great ending, but with Serial, he’s taking us back into this world – and I’m not complaining.

Serial is part of the Terryverse by virtue of its main character Zoe; first introduced as a demon-possessed child in Rachel Rising. No longer possessed but still an old soul in a child’s body, Zoe is now tracking down a serial killer. And fans of the much-loved character will be pleased to see she’s just as badass without the demon.

Never one to stay in his comfort zone, Moore is playing with yet another genre here. Already darker than even Rachel Rising, Serial goes firmly into psychological thriller territory. And it’s just as compelling as some of the best serial killer stories out there, with the bonus twist of Zoe’s incredibly dark humour. There are numerous questions that I can’t wait to see resolved. What is the killer’s background? What will Zoe do when she finds them? And will we get any cameos from other Terryverse characters?

Fans will know what to expect from Moore’s art. It’s in black and white, as always, which probably softens the impact of some really gory scenes. Characters are still his own unique blend of cartoony but realistic. His expert storytelling and layouts keep the book flowing even through scenes without dialogue; something less experienced artists might be nervous to attempt, but which add greatly to the story’s ominous atmosphere.

Serial is planned as a 10-issue series, of which this first volume collects half. This means that it should avoid the pacing problems that some of Moore’s past books have had after a few dozen issues. At this rate, it could end up as his neatest story to date, and possibly one of his best.

Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars

Overall: 5 Stars

Writer/Artist: Terry Moore
Publisher: Abstract Studios

Author Profile

Yavi Mohan

Yavi Mohan is a comic writer (and more frequently, comic reader) based in London. He is frequently overwhelmed by the number of comics in his reading list, to the extent that it sometimes delays his reading. This list includes every issue ever published with Spider-Man as the main character.