Review: Blackwood #2

The temptation to shorthand Dark Horse“s Blackwood as “Scooby Doo”“ meets “Harry Potter”“ is almost overwhelming. Except Blackwood, written by Evan Dorkin and visualized by Veronica and Andy Fish, isn“t either of these classic serial narratives. It isn“t some mash-up of them either, although it has the perfect amount of elements of both. Blackwood is the story of a strange group of teens ”“ or a group of teens who have had some strange experiences (of the mortal variety). They have been recruited to Blackwood College with scholarships awarded to them for reasons they haven“t quite figured out yet. And just as the group matriculates and starts to settle in as the newest crop of Blackwood Gargoyles, the dean of the college goes missing and their first-year orientation becomes a crash horror course steeped in occult mystery.

In Blackwood #2 (of 4) the small group of college protagonists find themselves in the thick of it ”“ literally. Their campus is a gothic labyrinth with secret passages, steep stairwells and cast iron gates. As they try to figure out what“s happened to the dean and their fellow freshman, the purpose of their presence at Blackwood begins into creep into the narrative. Veronica Fish“s art is spectacular. She crafts each panel in a way that breathes life into all of her characters, flourishing on the visual cusp of comics and cartoons. It is a style that reflects the aesthetic of the story“s form: some sort of amalgamation of the occult and mystery genres, but somehow never taking either form (or itself) too seriously.

Each of the four first-year protagonists are unique and feel fully formed as characters even though the story is not quite half way through its run. Readers can hope for a permanent series ”“ or better yet, an animated adaptation, but the mini-series format is fast-paced and Evan Dorkin“s dialogue and plot seem to race toward a conclusion from the first page of this issue. The pacing of the story is kinetic, not rushed, but readers probably want know how this arc will end as soon as possible. That“s how exciting Blackwood is (and can be). But don“t rush through any page or panel or you might miss key clues. The name of the mascot is barely visible on their sweatshirts; the details of their files are sprawled across a faculty member“s desk. Dorkin and Fish pull you into the narrative. They don“t invite you along for a ride they compel you into the crazy occult world of Blackwood. 4/5.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

(W) Evan Dorkin (A/CA) Veronica Fish