The Neighbors #1: Dark Beginnings

The Neighbors #1 is a promising start to Boom’s brand-new horror series. From the jump, this issue oozes a horror atmosphere rooted stylistically in mid-80s horror novels. Whether or not this was intentional on behalf of the creative team is unknown, but it works very well as a hook into this first issue.

The biggest turn-off to readers taking their chance on this series will be its narrative style. It’s very in line with ‘new-age’ horror comics, which leads to inference and concept more than direct narration to learn about the world. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing; it is simply a stylistic choice. It works well for this first issue, as the subject matter is much more profoundly than creepy neighbors. Contemporary themes of transgenderism, social isolation, and the fear of persecution haunt this book in a way that generates significant unease. We only learn the necessary details about Janet, Oliver, and their daughter Casey, lying down some socially charged themes with finesse and subtly.

All of this is thanks to a profoundly realistic and human set of main characters that navigate the complications of family life in the modern day with honesty. Not knowing everything about everyone but understanding all their little fears builds an illogical stir of dread in the reader. The issue ends in such a way that not highlights the wishes and complications of Oliver’s relationship with Casey but ends with a ‘What the hell’ level cliffhanger to drag the reader onto the next issue.

So far, the dynamics between our family are far more interesting than the mythology of the book’s folk horror, which is given so much life by Letizia Cadonici’s art. Their pencils are very loose and expressive, illustrating both the mundane and horrific with equal expertise. Alessandro Santoro’s colors add a near-dreamlike haze over the pencils, adding to the book’s atmosphere. While the last page is ripe with spoilers, pay close attention to the masterful color shift utilized on that page, as it is a brilliant way of communicating plot events through color.