WYTCHES is on sale October 8, from Image.
The Good
Scott Snyder and Jock have teamed up once again for a new creator-owned series. If you read our interview with Snyder, you have a good idea what this series is about. You probably don't need me to tell you how great it is or to even convince you to pick it up. But I will regardless.
WYTCHES is a different sort of series from Snyder. We've read his BATMAN stories as well as AMERICAN VAMPIRE and THE WAKE at Vertigo. Scott Snyder is out to creep us out. And he succeeds in this issue. With a creator-owned series, he's starting from scratch. He doesn't have decades of character development already in place for us to relate to the characters in the issue. He has to establish the tone while also introducing us to the main characters and making us care about them. That's part of what makes you feel so uneasy. You do immediately care for the characters. We start to see more backstory and you just can't help but wonder how badly this is going to get for everyone.
Actually, before we get into the heart of the characters, we get some creepy-as-hell opening pages. Jock's art and Matt Hollingsworth's color will definitely make you feel a little sick in the stomach. Don't get me wrong, it's not gross over the top graphic imagery. It's just plain old disturbing. How the scene plays out and what it sets up will stick with you.
It's not all doom and gloom either. As I mentioned, you get a good sense of the characters here. There's actually some good times as well. It's a great mix of good old fashioned storytelling with great visuals and a really dark feeling brewing in the horizon.
The Bad
We get plenty of established backstory, new characters are fleshed out, and we get a great taste of the darkness this series will contain. There wasn't anything I didn't like.
The Verdict
If you're a fan of Scott Snyder and Jock, getting this new series is a no-brainer. This is a great first issue that introduces us to new characters and clearly establishes what horrors we can expect to see. This is the sort of comic you'll want to read during the day. There are some definite creepy moments without it ever crossing the line into graphic or grotesque imagery. Be prepared when you pick this issue up. Let your comic shop know to order you a copy. Orders are due by Monday. You don't want to miss out on this one.
