There are lots of good comics out there, but some clearly stand head-and-shoulders above the rest. “Don’t Miss This” shines a weekly spotlight on the books our staff writers think need to be on your pull list. This week, we look at “Proctor Valley Road,” a new limited series inspired by the urban legends and ghost stories surrounding the infamous dirt road 20 miles from San Diego.
Who Is This By?
Aside from being legendary comic creator Grant Morrison’s first comic series in five years, it also marks British screenwriter Alex Child’s comic book debut. The series was first pitched by Child, who promptly enlisted Morrison as co-writer, and the project soon became one of the most buzzed-about intellectual properties of the last 12 months. In the meantime, NBC Universal bought in and “Proctor Valley Road” simultaneously went into development as both a comic book and a TV series – with UCP and Boom! Studios as additional production partners.
Though not much is known about the made-for-TV version, the comic book certainly features a star-studded lineup. The book is wonderfully illustrated by Naomi Franquiz, whose previous works include “Harrow County” and “Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.” Tamra Bonvillain – who’s also killing it on Kieron Gillen’s “Once and Future” – brings her trademark spectacular colors, and two time Eisner nominee Jim Campbell does a fine job with letters.
You’d think with NBC Universal and who knows how many subsidiaries and suits in the mix, the whole thing could be a quagmire. But as the first official title but publishing imprint UCP Graphic, somebody must have said, “Go big or go home” and given Morrison and Child free rein. The creative vision is rock solid.
What’s It All About?
The series opens low key with a perennial teenage problem: legendary rock star Janis Joplin is coming to town and our protagonists – August, Rylee, Cora and Jennie – don’t have the money for concert tickets. The girls all try to work side-hustles to earn some extra cash, but nothing really pans out. That night, at the county fair, August overhears three bros spinning a fantastical tale about a gruesome, fatal encounter out on the titular road – appropriately witnessed by “some wandering roadside dude.”
Sensing the three bros’ need to prove their innate masculinity, August hits on the idea of running “spook tours” at $5 a pop. They all drive out to the middle of nowhere, they guys don’t get what they really wanted and they decide to walk home. Naturally, things get weird and the dudes vanish into the night…. That’s where the real story starts. The girls get blamed for a crime they didn’t commit, interrogated by the cops and ostracized by their parents. It’s up to August and the girls to reveal the truth about Proctor Valley Road.
What Makes It So Great?
On its face, the book may look an awful lot like the increasingly crowded ensemble-cast monster hunter sub-genre. Ironically, perhaps, that’s a big part of what makes it so special. The ingredients are pretty standard, but the execution is brilliant.
With her unique, but accessible Manga-like character designs, intuitive paneling and superb command of the characters’ wide-eyed facial expressions and dynamic body language, Franquiz’s artwork is perfectly suited to the story. Her layouts are also top notch and page turns are very well done, creating the occasional jump-scare and some genuinely creepy, wince-unducing moments.
Bonvillain’s palette, as always, is colorful and vibrant and all the right places, and suitably muted in others. Night scenes can be hard too pull off, sometimes losing their depth and texture, but Bonvillain makes them pop without giving everything a schlocky, “day for night” TV movie look.
Cryptids and ghost cars aside, always simmering below the surface is the discomforting Viet Nam War subtext. With “Proctor Valley Road” inspired by the actual highway of horrors, urban legends and supernatural horrors can be read as a metaphor for innocent men sent off to die for no clear reason, while the war also reaffirms the universal fear of things unknown and not understood. One terror is quite real, while the other is completely made up. Or maybe not. It can be hard to tell which is which. Both warrant your respect or the result could be ghastly.
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How Can You Read It?
The second issue of “Proctor Valley Road” drops today. You can find a copy at your local comic shop or your favorite online retailer. In the short run, however, you may have a bit of trouble tracking down #1. Word on the street is that retailers have already sold through the first printing of 55,000 copies. If anything, momentum is building. You should also keep an eye out for the forthcoming TV series. Collectively, Child and Morrison have a ton of TV and movie experience. With a stellar story to start build on, the TV adaptation should also be brilliant.
