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| Wytches #4 cover by Jock |
Scott Snyder and Jock and Matt Hollingsworth have wrought a monster in the comic industry with Wytches. It is pervasive, intriguing, and a little bit terrifying, but oh so good.
As we get toward the end of this first arc of the series, the creators are upping the tension and allowing just enough wiggle room for a few surprises in the story.
I enjoy the series so much that I binge-read the first three issues again prior to reading issue #4. For added effect I did this late at night, by myself, in a dimly lit environment. I didn't plan it this way, but it sure made a difference for the feel of the experience while reading Wytches.
Issue #4 delves back into the world of Sailor and Charlie Rooks, but deeper, with more back story and context. We get to see better context of the main characters' motivations, with added weight to the mythology of the Wytches. It is the fleshing out of the protagonists that drives home this issue and sets us up for the two-part climax of the arc.
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| The carnival is in town... |
As always the art is supremely balanced with the mix of other-worldliness and playfulness that characterizes this series. The splatter effect and layering of Hollingsworth's colors mesmerize the reader, bringing home the corporeal effect of the Wytches' magic. Jock drives home the fantasy with his off-angled art. This is most obvious in the depiction of the Wytches, as we get glimpses of Sailor down the burrow that houses them.
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| Wytches leave a mark on Charlie Rook |
The more the series continues the more obvious it becomes that the true horror is not in the monsters lurking in the shadows but in the monsters we hold inside us. The imagery, both figurative and literal on the page, examine just what humans are capable of in their own dark moments. It is the human psyche that seems to really terrify Snyder, with the writer allowing his fellow creators to show this in a more comprehensible and artful manner.
What is overwhelmingly obvious by now is the pull and reach of Wytches as a series. I have those close to me who have never been big comic readers, ever, until this series piqued their interest. This is not lost on Snyder, who, as reported by Newsarama in a recent interview, explains the changing nature of comic book audiences. Wytches is poised to capitalize on this changing tide of readership.
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| Sailor's parents come to terms with Wytches |
Are you one of those readers who can't put down Wytches? Have you been hooked by the monsters' talons? Let us know below or hit us with a comment on Facebook and Twitter, tell us what you love or hate about this issue and the rest, then make sure to come back later this month for issue #5 as the first part of the series begins to close.
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