REVIEW: Wytches #1 from Image Comics

Story By: Scott Snyder
Art By: JOCK
Cover By: JOCK

REVIEW

I don“t think I have seen a comic hyped up recently as much as Scott Snyder and Jock“s Wytches, the press surrounding this book has been quite literally insane. The one thing I can safely say though is it delivers on every level; it is a book that all of the creators involved in have put their hearts and souls into bringing the public an absolutely awesome comic from Image.

As you can tell from the title this book concerns Wytches, not the broomsticks, pointy hat and toad eating variety mind, the downright scary as hell variety. Reading the back matter and seeing Snyder“s vision for this book, these creatures are forces of nature, elementals of pure evil and something you definitely do not want to mess with. I will not spoil any of the story contained within as that would do a disservice and if you have any idea of what this book is about before going in I feel that it will take away from the overall experience of reading the book.

Snyder has taken careful care to build a cast of incredibly well rounded characters, giving you a lead that you feel compelled to follow on her journey. He gives us a great deal of information about this cast of characters but, nothing feels like an exposition dump here instead using this first issue to build up the main character, allowing us to see her for the person she. The character moments throughout this first issue are really touching, something you don“t find in the horror genre is that on occasions you are genuinely smiling as you are lost in these characters worlds, showing that Snyder is not going for cheap thrills but, building a world that will have a lasting impact on the reader for years to come.

The art by Jock is beyond stunning, it is creepy as hell but, nevertheless stunning. Every panel seeps with a sense of dread that lurks just off the panel. Even in the daylight scenes this is apparent, Jock combines with Snyder so well that you can be genuinely concerned to turn the next page for the horror of what you might discover. Jock“s creativity in some of the truly disturbing scenes really show through as you do wonder just how he managed to come up with that whilst being terrified at what you are reading. Special praise must also be given to Matt Hollingsworth“s colours that complement Jock“s art so well; having used mainly a palette of blues, purples and reds that really cloud this book in dread adding those extra amounts of terror to Jock“s pencils whilst making sure that none of the detail is lost.

Snyder says in the back matter that this book is deeply personal to him, from reading this that is plain to see and it is a story that I am happy he has shared with us. From cover to cover you will become absorbed in this world and it will be used as a showpiece for just how effectively horror can be done in a comic.

5/5

By Matt Deery

Author Profile

Matt Deery

Matt Deery is an avid comic reader from the UK, relatively new to the writing scene but, enjoying being part of the Comic Crusaders team and getting to talk about some the books that I adore. Will read almost anything Marvel, with Spider-Man and Iron Man being my all time favorite comic book characters and has recently found a love for Image and Valiant books and generally anything Sci FI or Espionage related. Check out my twitter @brujah69ad if you want to stop by and talk comics, video games or movies!