Sir Edward Grey meets Sarah Jewell, a companion that will join him on many an investigation for the next two decades, and while we may have seen these two working together before, their first meeting makes this issue of “Witchfinder” something extra special. Spoilers abound aplenty in this review—you have been warned.
Written by Mike Mignola and Chris RobersonCover by Christopher Mitten
Illustrated by Christopher Mitten
Colored by Michelle Madsen
Lettered by Clem RobinsA new suspect arises as the Witchfinder continues his investigation into the Ripper murders! But with his investigative integrity in question, that may be the last thing he needs. Meanwhile, Sarah Jewell’s attempts to infiltrate the mysterious Proserpine Home could reveal the true culprit—or put both her and Edward Grey in even more danger!
As a long-time reader of “Hellboy” and its various spinoffs, with a special affection for “Witchfinder,” I found this issue very satisfying. ‘The Reign of Darkness’ is an arc about transformation for Grey—I already suspect it is the last “Witchfinder” story and it’s setting up a new title to follow. But of all the things taking shape in this issue, the one I’m most excited about is the relationship between Sir Edward Grey and Sarah Jewell.
Critically, Jewell brings a new point of view to the case. Grey and his colleagues have been very narrowly interested in the Ripper, and only interested in his victims if they see them as a source of information. Jewell’s interest extends further, and she’s ready to call Grey on his behaviour—something he initially dismisses, but when he sees the behaviour she described exhibited by his collaborators at the Saint John of the Cross Police Hospital, he’s forced to acknowledge there’s some truth in her words. The case becomes a very different animal when one’s objective is to protect further women from harm, instead of simply catching the Ripper.
Jewell has an undeniable effect on Grey, but it’s not an instant change. There’s a slow burn at work that makes it that much more compelling. At first, Grey uses much of Jewell’s reasoning to prop up his suspicions of Gordon Asquith. Her own suspicions of Dr. Robert Haldane are dismissed by Grey the moment his superior scoffs at a man of Haldane’s social standing being involved in murder. Grey’s ego too easily clouds his judgment. Frankly, it’s nice to have a character like Jewell call bullshit when she sees it, especially when so many characters have such flagrant biases.
I couldn’t help but see a bit of Nellie Bly in Sarah Jewell in this story. Bly, the 19th century American journalist, was one of the key inspirations for the Sarah Jewell character. Bly famously had herself committeéd to the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island so that she could write an exposé about the treatment of its patients. Likewise, Jewell takes herself to Dr. Haldane’s charity house, Proserpine Home, to investigate what’s really going on there.
Anyway, enough about Jewell. Let’s get back to Grey. In my previous review I spoke about how I found it odd that Grey wasn’t scowling as often. It seems this was indeed only a temporary thing; he’s back to his usual scowling self in this issue. The character work in this issue, both from writing and art, was the highlight for me. I really appreciated that virtually every plot point in some way demonstrates how Grey has changed since ‘The Gates of Heaven.’ And Christopher Mitten takes those character beats and accentuates them in his art.
Most notably, there’s a scene in the middle of the issue with Sir Edward using a talisman to get rid of some muggers. A decade ago, he’d never dream of doing such a thing—a witchfinder using witchcraft!—and even half a decade back he’d only reluctantly use it. These days, he simply accepts the talisman as mostly harmless and a necessary tool. His reticence is gone. For an action scene, there’s real character development demonstrated.
Plus, it’s just a great looking scene. Mitten has put together a dynamic sequence that builds to a crescendo with the monstrous apparitions from the talisman. Yes, the monsters are great, but it’s the four pages leading up to that moment that really impressed me. The knife fight has such energy to it, and yet Mitten still holds back just enough so that when Grey pulls out the talisman, he can compose the panel in such a way that this action seems bigger than everything that preceded it. You’ll notice during the knife fight, he keeps the action moving across the page, but never towards the reader—that axis of movement is reserved for the talisman. It’s an effective way to present a hierarchy in the movement and give the scene a shape.
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Both colors and lettering support Mitten’s choices too. There’s a build to Michelle Madsen’s colors and Clem Robins reserves one style of lettering for the knife fight and another for the talisman. Everyone is working in concert. It was an excellently executed sequence.
But then there are other scenes far less showy, when the story has to deal with moments of heavy exposition, telling us about who Dr. Haldane is or what Gordon Asquith’s been up to. It’s all necessary for the mystery, but it could’ve easily been dry detail. Even in these moments, Roberson finds ways to make these scenes about character. In an issue that is almost completely talking, these character elements give Mitten something to play with, to give the scenes visual interest.
This is Roberson and Mitten’s third major project together and it shows. They work exceptionally well together, building on each other’s strengths.
Final verdict: 8.5 – Roberson and Mitten impress with their character work in this issue.
