Fanboys Anonymous

Wytches 2 cover by Jock and Hollingsworth

Wytches is a provocative story that entices readers deeper into the narrative with subplots that play on basic human instincts.

Issue #2 of this Image publication picks up after the cliffhanger Scott Snyder left us with in the opening events. Sailor has been left traumatized by recent events at school, her mother Lucy is left wheelchair bound as the result of an accident, and her father Charlie is trying to bring a sense of normality back to his family.

It is this final thread, family, or more specifically parenthood, that provides the real sense of horror in Wytches. Charlie's sense of paranoia about how to look after his daughter when he can't really help the emotional and mental strain she is under, only helps to underpin the suspense that is building around the actual material appearance of the Wytches themselves. It is the hopelessness held back only by the parental drive to protect your children, and the prospect of not being able to or failing somehow in this endeavor, that strikes a cord on a very different level for Wytches.

Overtly, Wytches is about the supernatural existence of an ancient and evil group of creatures who haunt their victims. In issue #2 it is too soon to tell what the central characters are building into, but as Snyder builds to the conclusion of the first arc of this series, it would appear that we see some gripping art and story developments.

Wytches strikes a realism  that lifts the suspense.

As this is a new, creator-owned story we don't have to be concerned with plot holes, and the nature of the story content allows us to believe in a possibility of unnatural elements. This brings to the fore a sense of enjoyment; it is very easy to get lost in the pages of Wytches #2. Only as the last page turns do you realize that the end of the issue is come too soon.

The momentum driving the pace in this issue of Wytches is provided by the various subplots from the main characters in the Rooks family. They we more unified in issue #1, but as their lives take on day-to-day activities such as work and school, the options for Snyder to explore what makes each of them tick is maximized. To this end, he doesn't disappoint; I was left with as many questions by the concluding panels as I was from issue #1.

The art by Jock and Matt Hollingsworth is both mesmerizing and psychedelic. For any comic book series, the art needs to instantly appeal to a new reader' it's what they see first, what draws them in enough to want to spend their hard-earned cash. Goal achieved with Wytches.

Jock and Snyder have a well-established collaboration with their work at DC, and it shows in issue #2. There is a predominance of close-up shots focusing on character reactions and emotions that works in well with the suspense of the story. Jock also controls the pace well,  using a consistent number of panels per page on average. We do not have quick or slow portions of the issue but are carried through by the drawn images content rather than numbers.

Sailor is attacked and left scared by the Wytches.

Shadows and shading are not an artistic aspect that needs to be brought out from Jock in Wytches #2. A tin inking from Jock, coupled with the colors from Hollingsworth, makes this unnecessary. The colors are simply fantastic in this series. They are as much an important element of Wytches as the story and drawing.

Hollingsworth takes an unconventional approach to color and pulls it off with dramatic results. On each page Jock's art is brought to life with an appropriateness of color that helps it fit the context of the story. Overlaid on this is a splatter of hues and colors that add weight to each page, like the sun, emerging from behind a cloud, that is glaringly beautiful. Hollingsworth is also assigning specific colors to each character's situation. Blues and purples mark the main plot of the story, and reds shout from the Wytches. However, depending on the location or time of day, the colors change to suit the situation.

Wytches brings together an artistic team that has a sense of cohesion and drama and ultimately provides us with a great comic. This is a highly recommended read, and I can't wait for the next installment. Monthly is simply too long between issues. While I cant get enough of this series, we want to hear your thoughts, so make sure to leave us a comment below.