North 40, Aaron Williams and Fiona Staples

"The residents of an isolated rural area discover superhuman and supernatural power in their midst. Within the limits of the county, something ancient and malevolent stirs and new monsters arise. Wyatt, unlikely hero from the wrong side of the tracks, Sheriff Morgan and town outcast Amanda will have to combine their efforts to keep the county from imploding...or being eaten by mighty Cthulu."













North 40 was recommended to me by the staff at my (outstanding) LCS, Nostalgia and Comics, due to the Fiona Staples art and everyone's love of her work on Saga with Brian K. Vaughan. That's the kind of universally acclaimed Sci-fi that tends to gain you devotees, and so the shop was offering copies of some of her older work.

It was actually the American Vampire and The Wake on my pull-list that earned me a recommend, as although I am enjoying Saga, I'm trade waiting rather than doing a monthly pull, something I'm perfectly happy with as I am apparently the only comic reader in the world who thinks it's pretty slight work.

So, instead I end up with a low-key horror trade, of Staples' art on a Lovecraftian epic, set in small town America where opening the wrong elder tome has led to the majority of the town developing the kind of eldritch talents that in a straight cape book would be called superpowers. Riffing on the horrific nature of giving people these abilities, and the terrifying amount of misuse they can be put to, whilst also dealing with vampires, zombies, giant robots, evil ghosts and, yes, Cthulhu, the story isn't deep and doesn't try to tell us anything new but works as a set up for the kind of monster mash-up that few horror stories really sell well.

The characterisation is choppy, the story bulging but shallow, but the art, the art! The art is lovely. Much looser than her Saga work (and apparently that's a trend as her earlier work on Done to Death supposedly is looser to the point of indifference), but with an easy slackness that fits the small town Americana vibe. It's complimented but some excellent colouring, a washed out palate that gives it a 50s, picture house vibe, all low washes and scrap book heart. It's fantastic.

Next I've been recommended Done to Death, so I'll pick that up and feedback.

Also Try:
Scott Snyder, American Vampire/ The Wake
Brian K. Vaughan, Saga
H. P. Lovecraft, Necromicon