Filed under: Comic Reviews | Tags: Dark Horse Comics, John Arcudi, Jonathan Case, Oxel, The Creep
The penultimate issue in Oxel’s latest case sees writer John Arcudi & artist Jonathan Case delve deeper into the mystery they’ve got us hooked on.
The case is on the move as Oxel leaves the city as he follows a lead to where Steph’s father, Jeff, is heading – a place he used to take the two suicide victims camping & hunting. She’s already notified the police and Oxel is heading to help with the search and his mind wanders as he sleeps on the bus to Ulmerse. Just like before, the art from Case blurs the real and imaginary world with ease…..as clear, definite lines capture reality and a change to vibrant, jagged lines depicts the imaginary well.
Oxel meets up with the local Sherriff and his Deputies before they split up and head into the woods to search for Jeff. As Oxel trudges his way through the snow he starts to picture the summers Jeff would have spent there with the 2 teenagers – hot summer days fishing in the river and then back to reality with a bump as he cracks the ice under foot. Darkness closes in fast and it’s not long before he’s searching by torchlight and he starts to discover a series of freshly dug holes among the trees.
The darkness closes in and Case keeps the suspense going as Oxel discovers a bloodied hole and tracks trailing into the distance. Blood in the snow and on the trees lead the way to the body of Jeff, frozen in the snow in the midst of his desperate search. Cut-off from the search party the issue fades into the dark with the single torchlight on Oxel’s latest discovery.
This mystery has been expertly written by Arcudi as he’s lead us through the many quirks in the story and it’s all backed up with that suspense-filled art from Case. The consistency has held since that issue #0 and my only disappointment with this title is that it ends…..in the next issue and there’s still a heap of loose ends to be sorted out. Countdown to issue #4 is underway.
8/10
G-Man
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