There are a lot of comics out there, but some just stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we’re delving into the mind of a serial killer in a small town who has their world completely upended in “Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees”.
Who Is This By?
The book is written by Patrick Horvath, a film producer/director/writer who has started to branch out into the world of comic books. He did have an artist credit on a 2021 Image comic titled “Haha”, but this is his first foray into comic book storytelling.
Horvath also brings his own art to the table, which means with the exception of bringing on letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou it’s a one man show. Horvath has a very warm and gentle art style with clean lines and colors that look like a watercolor painting come to life. Also, all of the characters are anthropomorphic animals who walk, talk, and act just like humans, which adds another layer of sweetness to a story that is pleasant, kind, and then veers into brutal and terrifying realms that are jarring and legitimately scary.
What’s It All About?
Welcome to the town of Woodbrook, a place that is the picture perfect American small town. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, where doors are left unlocked, and where a family can raise their children in a safe and supportive environment. The main character of our little story is Samantha Strong, a hard working small business owner who runs a successful hardware store in Woodbrook. Yes, it’s a wonderful place to live, and if it wasn’t for Samantha’s deep, dark, secret it would be absolutely perfect.
It turns out that Samantha is a serial killer, and has been for some time. However, Samantha has never been caught because she has ironclad rules that must be followed at all times, and the biggest and most important rule is that the town of Woodbrook is to be left alone. It’s a good rule, and has allowed Samantha to build a life that keeps her safe while allowing her to accommodate her…urges. Unfortunately, the universe seems to have other plans as someone has decided to start killing off the locals. Naturally, everyone is upset, nervous, and scared out of their minds, and Samantha is the most scared of them all. After all, she didn’t kill her neighbors and if the killer isn’t found soon, then it’s only a matter of time when the police stumble across the byproducts of her extracurricular activities.
It’s a race against time and the law to find out whodunnit, and the answers are just as unpleasant and as nasty as the murders.
What Makes It So Great?
They say opposites attract, and in the case of “Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees” that couldn’t be more true. The series has been described as “Dexter meets Richard Scarry’s Busy Town” and that certainly holds up. Horvath does a great job of making Woodbrook look and feel like a nice place to live and work. The beautiful artwork is complemented by characters that are warm and charming, and the fact that they’re animals makes the whole thing seem even nicer and more pleasant. Then, Horvath pulls a direct and brutal one eighty by showing scenes of some of the most horrific violence you will ever see in any form of media.
The artwork pulls no punches when it comes to showing blood, guts, and the terror of creatures that died in incredible pain and fear. After that, everything starts spiraling out of control and the art and script compliment the destruction of the small town very well. As more bodies are discovered having been murdered in increasingly gruesome ways, the town begins to turn on itself and the nice and sweet neighbors begin to grow more paranoid and mean. It’s a horror story, but it’s the kind of horror that doesn’t shove the terror in your face. Instead, it builds and allows the fear in the reader to percolate, proving that the best kind of horror is found in the mundane and seemingly ordinary things.
Continued belowHow Can You Read It?
The series is currently running and can be found online and any and all comic book stores. It is a limited 6 issue series that is currently on its fifth installment, so get it while you still can!
