“Tales from Harrow County: Death’s Choir” #4 pulls off a remarkable balance, managing to capture the feeling of “Harrow County” while still being its own thing. The key, it would seem, is in its characters and the precision of its storytellers, Cullen Bunn, Naomi Franquiz, and Tyler Crook. Full spoilers to follow.
Written by Cullen Bunn and Tyler CrookCover by Naomi Franquiz
Illustrated by Naomi Franquiz
Lettered by Tyler CrookAfter taking care of the banshee, Bernice hunts down the source of recent disturbances discovers an old woman with a very personal motive behind raising the dead with a ghostly song—and a darker force manipulating it all.
“Harrow County” has always been horrifying—that much was clear from Tyler Crook’s first cover with a human skin stashed away in a drawer—and while that’s the most obvious aspect of the series, it’s not what I think of as its core. “Harrow County” has heart. The characters aren’t mere props in horrifying tales; they’re people we’re meant to care deeply about. And we’re not just meant to worry for their safety, we’re meant to invest in their hopes and dreams, and cheer for them as they overcome obstacles and evolve as people. This isn’t just a tenet of its storytelling, it’s the defining principle that informs every other story choice.
And it’s an element that’s alive and well in “Tales from Harrow County: Death’s Choir.” This miniseries may be set ten years after the events of “Harrow County,” and all but two of its characters are brand new, it even has a new artist, yet within a few pages it is simply “Harrow County,” no mistaking it.
I think the smartest decision the creative team made when they decided to launch “Tales from Harrow County” was to tell a story that showcased the series’ heart so well. In this final issue of ‘Death’s Choir,’ the conflict doesn’t revolve around some unspeakable horror or complex magical forces; it’s simply about a mother wanting to say goodbye to her dead son. And what Bernice has to do isn’t difficult because she has a terrible monster to fight that’s far stronger than her; it’s difficult because Bernice has to take this goodbye away.
‘Death’s Choir’ is a story that revolves around character investment—not just its central characters either, but everyone in Harrow County—and that was reinforced with every single issue. Even a character like the Reverend, introduced as a figure antagonistic toward Bernice, is shown trying to help the wandering souls. I think characters are always at their most interesting when they invest in the concerns of others—it shows who they are far stronger than insular tales.
And it’s probably why Bernice makes for the perfect lead to reintroduce this world to readers. Back in “Harrow County” #10, she was studying hard, trying to make something of herself so that she could leave Harrow County, then she ended up shouldering Lovey Belfont’s role as protector and suddenly she was stuck. She could never leave Harrow County without leaving it vulnerable. Every day Bernice stays in her home town, she’s investing in the people around her. It gives real weight to her final task, when to stop the goblin music, she has to do something that’s going to cause pain.
I have nothing but praise for Naomi Franquiz’s work on ‘Death’s Choir.’ I never had any doubt she’d do well with the series though. Her work on “Misfit City” already showed her keen interest in character. She’s the kind of artist that makes every glance, every brow furrow, every smile matter. And Cullen Bunn gave her a script that let those strengths shine.
Franquiz gives Mrs. Dearborn so much nuance. When she shows Bernice where Priscilla was taken and the tunnel is gone, there’s such sad, defeated venom in her. This is not an evil character full of spite; Mrs. Dearborn just seems weary, and that weariness has twisted her. There’s a line, “Maybe now you’ll know what it’s like to lose someone you care about,” and the way Mrs. Dearborn delivers it, she can’t even meet Bernice’s eyes. There’s almost a bit of shame mixed in there.
Continued belowI sure hope Franquiz is up for more “Tales from Harrow County,” because she totally nailed ‘Death’s Choir.’ And, boy, did this arc leave me wanting more.
When “Tales from Harrow County” was first announced, I expected a series of standalone miniseries—this first arc is about Bernice in the 1940s, but I figured maybe the second would be about Lovey Belfont in her heyday or maybe Hester when she first arrived in Harrow County. I was expecting ‘Death’s Choir’ to be completely self-contained, a four-issue miniseries I could pick it up, happily revisit Harrow County and its residents, then set it back on the shelf, content to wait for the next one.
However, after reading ‘Death’s Choir’ #4, I’m definitely not content to wait at all. Instead, I’m fretting over Priscilla’s fate and ravenous for the next installment. I had not braced for this. Yeah, the mysterious goblin music stuff is taken care of, but Priscilla has been dragged into a goblin realm, and that’s something I simply can’t put aside and forget about. I need Bernice voyaging into the goblin realm on a rescue mission (maybe something akin to Sarah in Jim Henson’s Labyrinth) as soon as possible.
I’d been reading ‘Death’s Choir’ with the story already compartmentalized in my head. Whatever happened, it’d be done in four issues, so whatever situation Priscilla was in, I wasn’t overly concerned, because it’d all be sorted out before ‘Death’s Choir’ was done—until it became clear that wasn’t the case at all and suddenly the stakes were so much higher. I hadn’t realized how much certainty I’d assumed until it was pulled out from under my feet.
And that makes for a fantastic read.
It also allowed ‘Death’s Choir’ to feel simultaneously small and large. As far as threats go, Mrs. Dearborn isn’t a big one, but the cost of restoring stability to Harrow County is huge.
And while Priscilla’s fate is the major dangling thread, it’s certainly not the only one. Throughout ‘Death’s Choir’ there’s been an Emmy-shaped hole, and I was OK with that, but calling attention to this in the very last panel absolutely means this is a thread we have to explore in the near future.
“Tales from Harrow County: Death’s Choir” succeeds as a standalone story, as the beginning of an ongoing story with Bernice, and as a continuation of “Harrow County.” In fact, it succeeds at all three remarkably well, without ever feeling like one of these elements is under-served.
Final Verdict: 9.5 – ‘Death’s Choir’ is nothing short of excellent. The wait for “Tales from Harrow County” #5 is going to be painful. God, it’s great to have “Harrow County” back.
