Tim Seeley and Mike Norton’s Midwestern horror love-letter blew the doors off of comic book shops last month, selling out quickly and receiving favorable comparisons to “The Walking Dead.” Though the comparison is fair and its target audience of horror fans is similar, the opening issue confidently went about being its own animal — and issue #2 goes even further in setting itself apart.
Written by Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Mike NortonMeet Blaine Abelm snowmobile mechanic, and part-time demonologist. Blaine isn’t too pleased to have the dead walking around his town and he’s about to do something about it. Dana deals with the aftermath of what went down at the farm, as citywide cabin fever escalates. And Em justs wants someone to hit her. Art by Eisner nominated creator, MIKE NORTON!
When we last entered the mysterious and strange city of Wausau, Wisconsin, we were left with plenty of gruesome imagery courtesy of the Revivers. “Revivers” are the undead, but unlike traditional zombies, they are able to re-assimilate into their normal lives. At least, some of them can, and that is one of the central mysteries of “Revival” in and of itself. As readers, we’re treated to complex characters and a rich world where all of the rules are not immediately apparent, but keep us reading to find the answers. Issue #2 begins with the fall-out from the previous issues’ horrifying conclusion and our heroine, Detective Dana Cypress, is left trying to deal with a shocking reveal regarding her sister Em and a subsequent demotion in rank at the police department. This issue deals with the cracks that those events start to put into everyone’s lives.
There are three main themes that Tim Seeley is wrestling with, and his script handles these deftly. The first is the family dynamic. Dana’s father is also her superior on the job, and Seeley shows a light touch in the way he administers tough love to her, while he goes easier on Em. All three characters get ample time to interact with one another and all three relationships show realism and complexity. The second is the horror itself, courtesy of the Revivers. He pulls no punches when the supernatural comes into play, using rough language and brashness to create situations in which the stakes are high and feel very dire. Again, the realism is noticeable. For the most part, the characters talk the way normal people talk, inasmuch as they can whilst surrounded by blood-crazy monsters.
Finally, Seeley drops in bits about religion and the supernatural. At this point, they only seem like germs of ideas that will be building to something in future issues, but these scenes are nonetheless intriguing. There are allusions made to biblical plagues or curses in relation to the Reviver phenomena. Later in the issue, we’re introduced to a new “demonologist” character, Blaine. (He’s the guy on the cover.) Blaine is actually written as something of a scoundrel. He’s equal parts entertaining and abrasive in a way that gives the reader doubts as to whether he can be trusted yet. Though I was unsure what to think of him yet, what was clear was that Seeley can create original characters without overdoing it on quirk.
And with what Mike Norton is doing on art, this is nearly perfect comic book storytelling. Seeley and Norton seem to trade big moments at times, sitting back and letting the other one’s craft take center stage. Norton pulls no punches on the action, from making the Revivers look horrifying to making every punch look painful. At the same time, he nails the quiet moments necessary for a book whose unassuming yet creepy tone tends to match its woodsy Wisconsin settings. And I can attest that those settings are very authentic. Norton nails the design of everything in this series. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the coloring work. It effectively captures the visible chill in the breath of a man looking out into the still of the snow-covered hills. The blues and grays give way to the melancholy feel of driving a police beat in a relatively quiet, urban area.
Whether horror comics are your thing or not, this book deserves your attention. Seeley and Norton have crafted a world that is original without calling attention to itself. It’s horror with an incredibly strong attention to character and theme, without pretension. It’s two talented guys using 22 pages to tell a comic book story the way that it was supposed to be told. Quite simply, “Revival” is nothing less than a beautifully professional effort from top-to-bottom.
Final Verdict: 9.5 – Run to that comic shop.
