Matt and Sharlene Kindt continue adding depth to their undersea murder mystery in the gorgeously ethereal “Dept. H” #2. Story, pencils, and colors swirl together to create an atmospheric tale that is pure Kindt originality.
Written by Matt Kindt
Illustrated by Matt and Sharlene KindtMatt Kindt’s survival sci-fi series continues!
Mia’s investigation into the sabotage of an underwater station becomes complicated by the disappearance of a loved one, the loss of communications with the world above, and a confrontation with a giant squid and other strange creatures of the deep.
“Like a cross between sci-fi Jack London, The Abyss and the criss-cross espionage of Kindt’s previous material, there is no element of this new project we’re not ecstatically awaiting.”—Paste Magazine
A haunting atmosphere permeates every nook and crevice of “Dept. H” #2. Matt Kindt’s story has an urgency that propels the reader toward the search for a solution to a man’s undersea death. Having only known the explorer Mia for just one issue, this second “day” chapter already has the reader invested in the truth and figuring out her relationships with the Dept. H crew. We, along with Mia, want to know why her father was murdered beneath the ocean while exploring its baffling nature and hidden secrets. Past collides with present, with flashbacks further fleshing out possible motivations for Mia and the other characters. Kindt refuses to dump exposition on us and instead lets this intriguing tale unfold through Mia’s narration and his brilliant use of perspective and movement.
The emotional resonance of Kindt’s story is not only expressed in his carefully chosen words but especially in the desolation and claustrophobia of the deep sea environment. Despite the vast expanse of its oceanic setting, “Dept. H” #2 evokes Mia’s feelings of anxiety pressing her down slowly to what one can only expect to be a place of utter horror. The act of suiting up for ocean exploration in the Dept. H headquarters and then the actual journey to check on one area of the vast structure may be solitary acts. However, as Mia and her brother swim through the abyss, there is a sense of dread and a setting pregnant with obstacles both physical and psychological.
Kindt’s simple visuals at these seemingly solitary moments are both powerful and personal. His singular artistic style immerses us so successfully into this story because of that unique style. The care and detail he puts into the story and art is viscerally felt so that he can compel us to feel the tension instead of having to guide us all the way through to the series’ inevitable end. He’s following the journey himself and letting us discover secrets along the way.
Sharlene Kindt is an equal partner with Matt in making “Dept. H.” #2 (as well as the first issue) such an exquisite experience. Sharlene’s colors bring Matt’s story and art to life, making her a true co-storyteller and artistic peer. The muted bluish grey and white of the two flashback scenes produce a shadowy world that may seem free of ambiguity, yet instead highlights the bubbling anger and frustration that is fraught with complexity in Matt’s faces and body language. The “Twilight Zone”-esque feel of the opening scene is further enhanced by Matt’s panning up as we view the slightly slanting and fading view of Mia and a past crew fade away.
The subtle marriage of art and color also comes in a scene between Mia and her brother, Raj. On one page, eight panels depict a heated conversation between them as the lights begin to flicker in and out of an emergency-red color. The tilt of their heads change in each of the red panels, with concern traded between the two. Both look up the first time the lights turn red, Raj looks over in the next red panel, and then Mia looks concerned in the last one. The rich yellow, orange, and blue that Sharlene paints throughout this page heightens the discombobulation and motion of this conversational scene. Matt’s structured setup gains motion and vibrant life because of Sharlene’s coloring prowess. Moments like these demonstrate the reward of repeat readings. “Dept. H” is an introspective page-turner. The strengths of both Kindts combine to make something with great depth.
Continued belowMatt Kindt accentuates the theme of exploration and searching throughout “Dept. H” #2. Not only is Mia searching for answers to her father’s death, but every character in the story is looking for answers to questions that have never been successfully solved before by anyone. Places both physical and within the psyche, however, are difficult to plumb. Matt, in this issue, never blatantly brings up these age-old conundrums and instead reveals the human reaction to the unknown. Through Mia’s sweating forehead to the alien quality of the sea-searching suits, Matt communicates the lengths people go through to find answers and the suffocating toll it can take on them. Sharlene is the one who brings out the heart and, quite simply, the truth in every corner of “Dept. H” #2 with her palette. She is proof a book can be dependent on the craft of a colorist.
There’s a nice little touch on the corners of most pages where two boxes have been filled with the color of deep blue water. Issue one had one blue box and this issue has two filled. That little detail is a possible countdown to a drowning (physical, mental, or both?) and to the end of the series. Let’s hope the end of “Dept. H” and Mia’s search comes to us slowly so that we can bask in this already successfully immersive experience.
Final Verdict: 10.0 – “Dept. H”, after only two issues, is on its way to being declared the best new series of 2016. It’s a good thing we didn’t have to wait too long for more Kindt after “Mind MGMT”. The addition of Sharlene Kindt makes this series another revelation.
