I’m not much of a horror fan but Plunge #2 delivers chills and unease. It’s exactly the type I like. Written by Joe Hill, the second issue picks up on the discovery of a dead body and from there just layers on the creepy factor.

What Hill does especially well is pile on new mysteries while not frustrating the reader. We’re two issues in and reveals would be a bit premature but at no point is it frustrating. I found myself uttering “wtf” multiple times but that’s part of the fun and entertainment.

This isn’t horror in the hacker/slasher sense. Hill’s delivery is a tense psychological thriller that may have a big bad bug as the actual villain. Or, is it all psychological? Hill keeps us guessing.

But Hill goes beyond the scares and makes sure to deliver characters we’ll like. While Plunge #2 dials back the character focus it still gives us a bunch of solid moments. There’s enough humor to break the tension and already I found myself reacting to actions like “don’t go in there.” There’s that internal interactive element that makes horror fun. It helps too that so far all of the characters are likeable. Some are more so than others but none are at the point you want to see them die, even the shady ones I have my questions about.

All of this is helped by Stuart Immonen‘s art and Dave Stewart‘s colors. There’s an unease about it all. The blues of the comic gives it all a sickly feel in a way adding to the vibe of it all. The comic is all about giving the reader an off feel about everything. What should be straightforward often isn’t with enough detail to create angst without grossing readers out. At no point does the comic go into over the top gore but there’s more than enough to get to the point of disturbing.

Plunge #2 continues the psychological horror thriller adding to the mystery of it all and going for unease instead of scares. It delivers a fantastic mix of characters and settings with a look that helps create a creepy tone. This is a must for those that enjoy this sort of horror and for even those that don’t.

Story: Joe Hill Art: Stuart Immonen
Color: Dave Stewart Letterer: Deron Bennett
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

While I’m not a horror fan, there’s a certain type I do enjoy. Those tense stories whose focus is more on the build-up than cheap scares are more in my wheelhouse. Plunge #1 delivers that and more in a fist issue that’s full of tension and character.

Written by Joe Hill, Plunge #1 isn’t anything particularly new. Instead, it does things we’ve seen before really well. A nautical experience, Plunge tells the story of a ship that begins to emit a distress signal nearly 40 years after it wrecked. What happened? Why the sudden signal? That’s all a part of the mystery. We know things are going to go smoothly in the salvage, we just don’t know how it’ll go sideways. And that’s part of the enjoyment.

Beyond the tension, Hill focuses on the characters. Each has a lot of personality and by issue’s end, you’ve got a good sense as to who everyone is. There’s also some solid laughs that break up what easily could have been a serious and dour first issue. The comic almost goes out of its way for laughs and that focus is a smart one. It makes the horror of it all a bit more ominous. You get the sense there’s something looming, even when you’re guard is down laughing about rubber dicks.

Stuart Immonen‘s art is fantastic. Along with Dave Stewart‘s colors and Deron Bennett‘s lettering, the visuals build on that subtle dread Hill goes fore. With lots of blues and browns, there’s a dirty but organic feel to the art that, much like the characters has personality. That’s the aspect that really stands out. Immonen’s style plays well to the character interactions with highly expressive looks and delivery of dialogue. There’s an almost play like aspect to it all. Bennett’s lettering too becomes key as the story progresses and we get to the final reveal. It delivers a style that emphasizes the shock of it all.

Plunge #1 is a fantastic debut. It’s a must for horror fans and especially for those who like films like the Abyss, Jaws, and Leviathan. We’re just in the setup phase but the mix of characters and missions creates a start that’s beyond engaging and a hell of a beginning.

Story: Joe Hill Art: Stuart Immonen
Color: Dave Stewart Letterer: Deron Bennett
Story: 10 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review