Review – Harrow County #8 (Dark Horse Comics)

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Tyler Crook
Release Date: 9th December, 2015

For seven issues now, Harrow County has been building up to this. The confrontation between Emmy and Kammi comes to a head. There’s something truly disturbing about the familiarity between the two, yet Kammi manages to have that strange psycho glint to her eye that says “I’m probably going to kill you”, whereas Emmy manages, even under strain, to have that slightly innocent demeanour of someone that hasn’t seen the kind of shit that we know she has.

Speaking of seeing some shit, Crook does a phenomenal job this issue, from the dynamics of the page, the onomatopoeic additions to characters (sploosh being a personal favourite), and the way he manages to make every Haint unique in it’s own terrifying way during the battle. ‘Rats on Fire’ would be an awesome name for a band, actually.

There’s something incredibly disturbing about the way Bunn writes the role of Kammi’s Butler. He revels in the fact that he gets to hunt down Emmy and kill her, because she reminds him so much of the woman that has made his life miserable. “I’m Free” carries so much more weight when you think about it. For a short time, he’s finally able to do exactly what he’s always wanted to her, even though it’s actually Kammi’s bidding.

While the previous issues have mostly been slow burners, almost Stephen King-like in approach to storytelling, issue eight is flat out, wall to wall, edge of the seat, awesomeness. It’s perfectly paced, hitting a comfortable crescendo in the middle before wrapping up in a way that, if it were to end after this, would make it one of the most perfectly crafted horror series to date. That’s never the way though, is it? Harrow County is going to continue, the seeds have been sown, the shreds of doubt have been added to your subconscious, and if you’re anything like me, you’re going to be waiting patiently to start it all over again with a new arc.

For fans of old school Thriller/Horror, this is a perfect, all be it slightly clichéd end to a damn fine story. Need more now. Right now. Please and thank you.

Rating: 5/5.

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Chris_Avatar The writer of this piece was: Chris Bennett
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