The Plot Vol. 1 #1-4
Recap
In order to receive... first you must give. When Chase Blaine's estranged brother and sister-in-law are murdered, he becomes guardian to MacKenzie and Zach, the niece and nephew he hardly knows. Seeking stability for the children, Chase moves his newly formed family to his ancestral home in Cape Augusta -- which overlooks a deep, black bogland teeming with family secrets.
Review
When the first issue of The Plot released September of last year, I immediately labelled it an example of “horror comics at its finest”. With the release of the first trade paperback collecting the first four issues, I can only echo that same sentiment. The first four issues of this series are a wonderfully dreadful haunted story packed with so much heart that you can’t help but care immensely for each of the Blaine family member’s struggles.
The Plot will be your next horror obsession.
To begin, this series finds it’s most powerful success in the harrowing visuals from Joshua Hixson and Jordan Boyd with Jim Campbell’s letters. This isn’t a book about talking heads, it’s a dark mystery with creepy and unsettling terrors lurking just in every nook and cranny of this book. From the near-epic splashes to even the black panels with just lettering, the execution is just top notch. The creative team understands how to use the comics medium as a platform for horror remarkably well, keeping you on the edge of your seat with nearly-unbearable tension and legitimate fear.
As we initially follow Chase Blaine’s troubled return to his hometown and take up his family’s fortune which includes a house filled with secrets, the scares are brief. Once thrust into the role of provider for two kids MacKenzie and Zach after the murder of his brother, the skeletons in his family’s closet begin to truly make themselves known. By the time we reach the end of the first part, its reached a suffocating level of fear that will have you desperately seeking out issue #5.
The Plot volume 1 collects the first four issues which is a remarkable setup for the scares to come. You will discover who this family is and dive into the terrors that seem to follow them at every turn. While the first volume does end with a cliffhanger, it’s a story that you shouldn’t miss. Catch up on the series so far with the first volume in stores today, and look for The Plot #5 when it hits stores April 29th!
Final Thoughts
Harrowing visuals and nearly unbearable tension help to make this series one of the best horror stories being told today. The Plot will be your next horror obsession.
The Plot Vol. 1 #1-4: Every Family Has Its Problems
- Writing - 9.5/109.5/10
- Storyline - 10/1010/10
- Art - 10/1010/10
- Color - 10/1010/10
- Cover Art - 9.5/109.5/10