Comic Review: Manor Black #1

Manor Black #1

Dark Horse Comics

Writers: Cullen Bunn & Brian Hurtt

Art: Tyler Crook

Dark Horse’s new series was just released and it is promising. Groups of ancient sorcerers clashing against one another, the dark forces and maybe even the police are to make the
is comic an exciting read.

We’re introduced to the basic set up for the story in three different narratives, two of which alternate throughout the comic. First, we meet Ari, who is running away from someone/something along with a group of friends/family members until their car crashes. Investigating the crash are the town’s Sheriff and one of his deputies, Harvey. We also meet Roman Black, a powerful sorcerer who is due to naming the successor to his power, before it’s too late. However, none of his children seem fit for the responsibility.

The introduction of this story components is sublime and wonderfully crafted by the writing duo Bunn and Hurtt. They start with an exciting chase and mentions of rituals, totems and a creepy hooded figure masterfully teasing the reader with the magical elements but without bothering to explain every little thing just yet. They then conduct the story by alternating between the sheriff and Roman making it feel like their stories are different pieces in the same game. With the sheriff, we learn more about Ari’s car crash and how odd it was. We also learn how small the town is due to cleverly inserted hints concerning the town’s public service. Meanwhile, with Roman, we learn a little more about the magic in this comic and how the Black family deals with it along with the generations.

The art, since page one, is breathtaking. Not only the characters are extremely characteristic and their face expressions really well composed (and explored by the narrative), but the coloring also swept off my feet. Both penciling and coloring are done by Tyler Crook which only brings the quality of this art up! His watercolor-like style is beautifully explored in every single panel, displaying gradients and different kinds of lighting whenever suitable, making the comic feel much more organic.

This was a spectacular surprise in my pull list as I knew nothing of this comic before reading it and now I can’t get enough. I hope the title maintain it’s quality as it progresses because the story is deeply instigating and the magic in this world seems like a well-constructed one and that always puts a smile on this reviewer’s face.

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