By: Scott Snyder & Scott Tuft (writers), Attila Futaki (art), Greg Guilhaumond (colors) & Fonografiks (letters)
The Story: A little boy is unwittingly on the road with a horrible cannibal monster posing as a traveling salesman.
Five Things: [With SPOILERS]
1. Creepy impending sense of doom pervades this book – This series did such a clever thing by showing the little boy as an adult in the first issue. He was clearly missing an arm and this whole series is kinda, “Grandpa, tell us a story about how you lost your arm” vibe to it. So, the reader knows that the arm is coming off at some point. We just don’t know when or how it will happen. Further, it looks highly likely that Jack (the little boy) will get attacked by this cannibal dude at some point, but we don’t know when the shoe will drop. So, every scene before a page turn that shows something ominous really builds the anticipation. Oh god! They’re going into a dark house! Oh god! He drugged his water! Oh god! He’s going to slam the hood of the car on his arm! It’s quite well done and it’s hard to think of a comic that has effectively carried this sense of tension for as long as this creative team has.
2. Miss the little girl – It’s hard not to miss Jack’s budding-girlfriend/traveling companion, Sam. She was such a neat character and had become so well developed in just a few issues that her absence is felt. Clearly, she had to go away to get to this point where Jack is truly alone with the bad guy, but she’s still missed. Maybe that’s just a testament to what a great character she was?
3. What’s this cannibal up to? - It’s really hard to figure out what this man is up to. Perhaps he isn’t hungry yet because he just ate a few days ago? In that case, perhaps it’s easier to just keep Jack around and alive (as opposed to killing/butchering and keeping the pieces in a freezer). But, it almost seems like he’s taking on a fatherly role towards Jack. The thing that makes this comic so great is that you know that something will happen. But, we also know that it probably won’t be a straightforward ending with the cannibal gnawing Jack’s arm off with Jack miraculously escaping. Something weird will happen involving Jack, the cannibal and perhaps Jack’s real father and it’s going to be really fun to watch it unfold.
4. He’s really the classic boogyman - This cannibal IS the bogeyman. ”Don’t run away from home or the bogeyman will get you! He eats little children, you know!” He also is so clearly existing right under people’s noses in a way that makes you realize that creeps like this are out there right now in the world and they manage to persist because no one pays quite enough attention to their backstory, the cops that pull them over never ask for photo ID, etc. Like all the best horror, it’s scary because it’s kinda true. My god, he’s even got families that he checks in on along the road (probably because he’s seeing how their kids are growing up so he can eat them next time). CREEPY!
5. GREAT art, especially the colors – Man, this art is HOT. Usually, I want no part of realistic art with painted colors. But, that’s because most comic artists simply aren’t good enough to do it. Futaki can just flat out draw. He’s a guy who would’ve cleaned up back in the 1950′s when most ads were hand drawn. All of his characters look true and that’s very important with a realistic style. If an artist is going for realism, he/she better nail it because our eyes know when stuff looks screwed up. Futaki also has a great eye for sequential storytelling and what the scene should look like. Its great stuff. But let’s also give a tip of the cap to colorist Guilhaumond. THIS is great coloring; and it’s seriously complex too. There’s no lazy smears of highlights on the cannibals cheeks. Nope, he highlights every wrinkle and fold individually. And, he’s never fighting with the light sources that Futaki laid out like so many other colorists do. And man, the darker scenes… He really creates a mood. This is a great looking comic.
Conclusion: Well, this creative team has made it so I don’t let my child talk to strangers. Screw that guy with the Salvation Army bucket and his bell. Dude could be a cannibal for all we know. Seriously, this is an outstanding comic book (and series). Can’t think of the last time such a sense of dread filled every page. It’d make a great movie too (hopefully some producers are hovering with option checks).
Grade: A
-Dean Stell
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Filed under: Image Comics Tagged: | Attila Futaki, Dean Stell, Fonografiks, Greg Guilhaumond, horror, Image, review, Scott Snyder, Scott Tuft, Severed, Severed #5, Severed #5 review
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Severed has been spectacular, and it’s great that they’re thinking of turning it into an ongoing following this mini. otoh, it’s hard to see exactly how that would work. (perhaps it just means Synder, Tuft, and Futaki working together on other projects.)
I dunno how that’ll work either. But, they could clearly continue to do bogeyman type stories set in the depression-era. Let’s hope.
I completely agree with you here. This series is amazing, in both the art and story, and I’m so glad that they are thinking of doing more after this mini is over. Every issue is so amazing. I didn’t even realize that Sam was killed last issue until this one. I was so shocked that she actually seems to have been killed off. I thought she would be back, but nope, this book has stakes, and the next two issues will be very exciting.
That was kinda sad. Since we didn’t see a body, I guess there was a small hope that she was still there, but it could be that it was just out of respect for the character that they didn’t want to show this plucky little girl who has been “one-step ahead” her whole life finally “losing” and getting dismembered and eaten.
That’s exactly how I feel! It’s so sad, something I rarely feel when watching horror movies. This comic is better than any horror movie I can think of. I actually care about the characters.